Eyes Are Windows to the Soul
by scorpiaux
Summary: Katara persuades Toph to visit the practiced healers of the North Pole for a session that may diminish her blindness, while Zuko plots revenge. Rated for later character death, suggestive themes. Kataang, taang, tokka.
1. One

**Eyes Are Windows to the Soul**

**Full Summary**: Before her return to GaoLing, Katara persuades Toph to visit the practiced healers of the North Pole for a session that may diminish her blindness. Little does Toph know that the procedure was carried out by the young water bender herself. Rated for character death, suggestive themes. Taang, Tokka, Kataang.

**Author's Note:** Hello again, fiction readers. I just wanted to note that the timing is about 2 years away. Katara is about 16 to 17 years old, Toph is 14 to 15 years old, and that should set the stage for the rest of the characters. Please, _remember to review._

* * *

**One**

The first morning of November found Aang and Sokka resting in separate cots in a dark and frigid chamber. Although neither was asleep, both were still and silent, waiting for Katara to come back from the opposite room. They didn't move much; only glanced at one another every once in a while, and quietly wondered what was happening behind the wall.

Torches had been placed in each of the four corners of the room, giving life to soft and energetic shadows that flickered and danced even though the friends were motionless. Red sunlight also spilled in from day break, but the single window was small and covered by a film of frost. Thus the room remained quiet, but very far from peaceful.

Aang had had enough of suspense for one day. He looked at Sokka. "You think she's okay?" he said finally, after about three hours of silence.

"Katara or Toph?" Sokka asked. He answered the question for one of them. "I trust my sister and the Tribal women enough to know they are good healers. I think Toph will be fine."

"And Katara?" Aang inquired, his voice obviously shaking. "She's never seen anything like this before. It's not like Toph asked her to do it...Katara suggested it." He paused briefly, cracked his knuckles. "It's not like it's a minor cut or something, you know. It's healing _blindness. _It must be very hard to watch...let alone to _help._" The young man stressed each word. He was worried for both of his friends, but, unlike Sokka, he was more concerned with Toph. She had never been able to see anything in her life, and this healing session was sure to change the world around her. Possibly for the better, possibly not.

Sokka snorted and clicked his chin forward. "What's so bad about being able to see?" The young man yawned loudly, stretching his limbs over his head. "Toph's going to love it, Aang. Just stop worrying so much."

Ever since the Fire Nation had fallen two years ago, everyone realized that Aang had had a lot on his mind. He was constantly standing up and sitting down impulsively, moving his gaze or staring at the sky for too long. He rarely spoke and, when he did, his voice was deep and attentive. Once, two weeks after Ozai's death, he admitted to Katara, "I don't know what I want to do anymore." It was as if his dream had been short lived, and now all actions after the fall of the Fire Lord were simply declining in interest since the Day of Black Sun.

It wasn't that he didn't have anything to do. He spent a lot of time with Katara before she had decided to come to the North Pole to help heal Toph. She praised Aang for everything he did, and always made it apparent of how much of a special person he was. To the world, and to her.

Unfortunately for the young Avatar, however, their relationship stayed in the awkward stage of friendship since he had met her. Every time he tried telling her anything concerning the interesting game of love, he would choke; and Katara, perhaps noticing what he was about to say, would quickly and nervously change the subject to something else, stammering on her own words and blushing furiously.

Aang realized now he was also worried for his young water bender: the girl that had saved him from permanent life in an iceberg, talked to him when he needed help, saved countless villages from destruction, and now...and now attempting to help cure her friend's blindness.

Suddenly the silence of the chamber and the sanctity of Aang's thoughts were broken with the soft slam of a door. The young Water Tribe woman emerged into their room, dark circles gracing her tired eyes. Her hands were slightly shaking, and her face, once a healthy and attractive tan shade, had visibly ran pale. Even Katara's clothes seemed wrinkled and stressed, as if what she needed to do had required physical activity as well.

The two boys looked at one another in disbelief and anxiety, and then to her.

Katara diverted her own gaze down to her trembling hands. She closed her eyes. "It's done," she murmured sleepily. "Everything is done."

Both of them ran up to her, but Aang arrived first, and swung his arms around her neck. The girl quickly returned his warm embrace. "Are you okay?" he whispered into her ear. "You were in there for so long. What were you doing? Is Toph okay?"

Aang led Katara to his cot, and she graciously sat down, Sokka and Aang sitting opposite to her, listening for every word. "The bandages have to be on for a while," Katara started. "I don't want light to pour in and blind poor Toph again. She has to get used to it first."

"So she's healed?" Sokka asked in uncertainty. "That's amazing!"

"That really _is _something," Aang added, shaking his head. "Who did it?"

Katara was silent. She breathed in and bit her lip, still not looking at the two.

"Well, Katara? Who healed her? I know I saw like five old ladies go in there with you," Aang recalled. "Which one was it?"

"We had to open her eye sockets," Katara stated quietly, her tone barely above that of a whisper. "It was very graphic...each of the healers had to work for half an hour, if not more." Katara paused briefly and crossed her arms. Aang noticed that her eyes had also reddened in the time she had been away. "There were certain blue biles that needed to be removed from Toph's eyes...at least, that's what one of the healer's said. No one was sure why but everyone kept noticing that Toph's sockets were too delicate...they were almost afraid to break them or something. It made all of the healers very nervous," Katara whispered. "Even the doctor that was with us had to leave for a short time."

"I would never think of Toph as being 'delicate,' as they say," Sokka said. "How did they do it if none of them had the guts to?"

"That's just it," Katara stated miserably. "They wanted to just give up and leave Toph alone. I couldn't believe it...and I told them that they should do their job."

"And they did it?" Aang asked.

"No, they didn't," the girl answered grimly. "I did. I had to."

The last statement hung the air for what seemed like hours. Both Aang and Sokka held their mouths open, staring with disbelief at Katara as if she had just come back from the dead.

Aang blinked nervously and attempted closing his jaw. "You...you..._healed _her...all by yourself? But...how?"

Again Katara looked down at her hands, her face emotionless. "I don't know. I had to. It's like when Toph learned to metal bend...no one really knows how these things work."

"You said they were each working for half an hour," Sokka recalled. "What were they doing if they weren't healing her?"

"They were just removing bile," Katara replied disgustedly, frowning. "None of them really knew how they were going to heal her. They were just hoping for the best. Besides, they all knew that Toph was born blind. I told them. But they kept saying it was caused by bile. There was no way that was true."

"So you _healed _Toph..." Aang shook his head, grinning from ear to ear. "Katara...this really is something. This is amazing."

Katara grimaced faintly and twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "I need to ask you both...please, don't mention any of this to Toph. You know, about my healing her." Katara paused uneasily, shifting her weight. "I don't...I just don't want her...you know...I don't want her to think that I brought her up her to act as my experiment or something. She has to think I was only there to supervise the whole thing...just to watch it."

"Are you sure?" Sokka inquired. "I think she'd be pretty thankful if she knew it was you and not those snobby old women."

"I don't care," Katara replied, a little louder than she had intended. She sighed heavily and moved her hand through her hair. "Listen, just don't tell her, okay? I just don't want her to know."

The two young men nodded slightly, and then Aang stood up and offered his hand to Katara. "Come on," he stated. "You look very tired. Let's go get some rest."

Katara took his hand and walked to the next room, where Aang helped her find a reasonable cot and then helped set it up next to his and Sokka's.

* * *

Around noon the same day, Toph had awaken to the usual darkness. It was easy to see her discomfort and sadness when the same dim awakening happened to her again, right after the longest and only healing session of her life. Toph was truly convinced that the healers weren't able to do anything. 

She lifted her hands and felt her face, only to find that thick bandages were wrapped all the way around, concealing her eyes and forehead. Happily, Toph began undoing them, when a soft hand grasped hers gently, and put her arm down.

"I wouldn't do that yet, Toph. How are you feeling?"

It was Katara's voice, tired and apprehensive, and Katara's trembling hand.

"Fine, fine..." the younger girl said excitedly. "How did everything go? Why can't I take these off?"

Toph could hear Katara struggling to find words. "Eh...you know...the healing session...it went fine. Really smoothly," she stated. "Everything is okay. The bandages are only there to keep the light out. I just...I don't want this to come too quickly." Katara was glad that Toph was resting on an elevated bed, and that she could not feel her quick and anxious heart beat.

"What? That's the only reason?" Toph lifted her hand to the bandages and began undoing them again. "Katara, you know I'm not some frightened little kid. If everything is as okay as you make it sound, then I'm taking these bandages off. I think I can handle it."

But again Katara grasped Toph's hands and pulled them down. "Please listen, Toph. I know you can handle it and I know you aren't afraid but _I_ am." But deep down Katara wasn't afraid. She was horrified. "I want you to take it easy and relax. Light can be very harmful when you've been used to the dark for so long."

"Whatever. I'm taking them off." Toph attempted moving her hands, but Katara's grip was firm.

"We will take one bandage off every day," Katara promised. "That way everything will come slowly."

Toph sighed heavily. She wanted to take _everything_ off today. She was sick of waiting so long for something so simple to happen. But she had traveled with Katara and her brother for a very long time, and if she had learned anything from the two of them, it was that it was no use arguing with the girl, no matter what the cause.

"Fine," the earth bender hissed. "Can I take _one_ off today then, mom?"

Katara's eyes narrowed. Again she was thankful that Toph couldn't see her depressed expression. "You can take one layer off today, Toph...just make sure you don't take them all of by mistake."

"Mistake," Toph repeated, smiling. A short laugh escaped her as the first layer of bandages was removed.

Toph's sarcastic and boastful expression, however, immediately changed. Katara could see rapid movements underneath the remaining layers. Toph was blinking.

Toph could see.

"What? What is it?" Katara asked quickly, obviously concerned. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Toph continued blinking, her face twisting this way and that. She moved her head in all sorts of directions furiously, as if she wanted to soak the small amounts of light in. She frowned and grimaced as she moved, taking in every angle of the room.

"Everything is...different," Toph said doubtfully. Katara couldn't help but notice how young she sounded. How fragile.

"It isn't black," the girl continued. "Everything isn't black. There are shapes..."

"You can see shapes?" Katara asked in distress. She instantly regretted not placing more bandages over the girl's head. "What color are they?"

Toph's face wrinkled. "How the hell am I supposed to know?" she replied angrily. "Let me take off another layer."

Katara was silent for a moment, but again she stopped Toph's hands from removing more bandages.

"Let me go!" Toph demanded, kicking off the comforter. "Just let me take off one more layer!"

**"**No!" Katara responded, still holding the girl down. Her tone was frightened and and high. "You aren't taking off any more layers today. Probably not tomorrow either. And to make sure you aren't tempted, I'm going to have some one supervise you."

"What?" Toph asked, obviously hurt. She stopped kicking. "Katara, please!"

"No," the young woman said again. "No more layers today."

When Katara left the room that evening, one of the older healers stood on guard, and Toph sensed their presence. Katara couldn't help but feel shameful and angry. One more layer couldn't have hurt Toph. It was only one layer.

But then Toph's expression of fear and uncertainty made it's way to Katara's memory. The way she looked around the room. The way her face twisted into confusion.

_It's for the best,_ Katara told herself. _We'll have to wait until she's ready. _


	2. Two

**Eyes Are Windows to the Soul**

**Full Summary: **Before her return to GaoLing, Katara persuades Toph to visit the practiced healers of the North Pole for a session that may diminish her blindness. Little did Toph know that the procedure was carried out by the young water bender herself. Rated for character death, future setting, suggestive themes. Taang, Tokka, Kataang.

**Author's Note: **Very thankful to all reviewers, as well as the story alerts and favorites. I hope I'll hear more out of you guys, and that you like this chapter just as much (if not more) than the last.

Special thanks to my sister for being a living thesaurus.

-ScorioRed112

* * *

**Two**

Later reports from the older healers showed that, immediately after Katara had left Toph's room, the young earth bender had quickly and quietly fallen asleep.

"She needs all the rest she can get," Katara had told Sokka and Aang later that night. "She has a lot of healing she needs to do on her own...and she lost a lot of bile. It's not something that's going to happen overnight."

Secretly Katara was dreading the whole situation altogether. Memories of the healing session still plagued her, and they would reappear every time she tried falling asleep...

The sterile smell of the healing room, the way Toph's eyelids were pulled back all way, revealing fogged, useless pupils. The way the bile flowed from the healers' fingertips into a bucket, dark and choleric. The huge blue aura of light that erupted from Katara's hands into the young girl's head after she just couldn't take it anymore, the way Toph's body had surged upward. Katara falling back into some one's arms, bandages across Toph's forehead. The way the world spun.

Truth be told, the healing session had taken a lot out of the water bender. Even now, almost a day after the session, she felt fatigued and stressed, and in desperate need for sleep.

Katara, sitting in a resting chamber, let her gaze wonder to the wall-sized window. The sky was dotted with dark, looming clouds that both frightened and awed her. She sat silently, nibbling on dried seal jerky and wondering what she was going to do next; what would happen after the final layer was removed, how Toph would react.

Someone touched her shoulder. Startled, she turned around abruptly only to find the young Avatar. Katara settled and shifted her eyes back to the window.

"The moon's full tonight," Aang stated blankly, taking a seat next to his companion.

"I didn't see it," Katara admitted, her eyes suddenly searching for the magnificent orb. "I've just been thinking."

"I know you're a great healer, Katara," Aang assured. "I think she'll be fine." He waved his hand dismissively. "I was thinking maybe we could do some water bending. If you weren't tired, and all..." He turned to Katara and suddenly frowned. "You really look...I don't know...different."

"Just exhausted," Katara snapped, rubbing her forehead. "I didn't know that...the whole thing was so...that it would take so much energy."

"Why don't you go get some sleep, then?" Aang replied simply. "And stop worrying so much, okay? You told me that Toph was able to blink and everything, and that she saw shapes. If I'm worried about anyone," he stated, "it's you."

Katara turned her face around, her back to him. "I can't go to sleep," she said, as if the whole second half of his words didn't matter. "I can't stop thinking about what happened."

"What you saw?"

Katara nodded.

"Come on," Aang coaxed after a little pause, standing up. He took Katara's hands in his. "Let's go water bending."

Katara rose unsteadily, her gloved hands still with Aang. "Okay."

* * *

Unfortunately for Sokka, by order of his sister, Toph's healing room was off limits.

"I don't want her to get all excited about seeing us for the first time," Katara had scolded him. "If anything, you being there will make her want to see you. It's the same thing for Aang. Just stay _out_."

Even though Sokka respected his sister and understood her reasoning, he couldn't help but feel that he _should _go see Toph. Not only because she was his friend, but also because he was curious as to what had happened after the healing session. And of what her new eyes would look like. And, naturally, what she would think of what he considered to be his striking good looks.

Besides, Aang had told him that he wanted to take Katara water bending tonight to "get her mind off of things." Sokka reasoned that there was an alternative motive, but he agreed that it was probably for the best. All he knew was that it would certainly give him time to pay Toph a little visit.

The corridors were dark and foreboding, the only light coming from lazy torches at the end of the hallway. Somber windows dotted the still hall. Some way off, Sokka could imagine Aang and his sister water bending.

When he came to Toph's room, he knocked softly on the door. No one answered.

"Toph," he whispered. "Toph, it's me. It's Sokka."

Still, nothing came from the other end of the door.

Sokka grimaced. "Can I come in?"

The door opened under his weight. Sokka peered through, his eyes widening when he saw Toph resting on a low cot.

Dark bandages were still wrapped tightly around her head, her once wild bangs pulled back and held firm with a pin. Two deep-colored comforters covered the rest of her body, but Sokka could just barely see her chest rising up and down. She was alive and fine...just asleep.

He couldn't see past the bandages, however. And, even if he could, he was sure that her eyes were closed.

Frowning, Sokka pondered his next move. There was no way that he was going to get Katara to leave again. The young man knew well that this was his only chance.

Curiosity got the better of him. He moved a little closer to the earth bender, pulling the bandages down to her nose. As he expected, her lids were closed. But the skin around her eyes seemed softer, and much paler, than he remembered it.

_"And she's lost a lot of bile...It's not something that's going to happen overnight."_

It was obvious to Sokka, at this point, that he should leave.

He was about to pull the bandages up and curse his bad timing, when suddenly Toph's eyes squinted open half way. This shock sent Sokka flying backwards. Clumsily, he tied the bandages back over Toph's forehead, and quickly and nervously left the room.

It wasn't the sudden opening of Toph's eyes that scared him. No, he knew that her eyes some times slipped open when she was asleep. But it was the strangely glowing trait that her eyes now held. Once they had opened a strangely mellow light had came out of them, almost like a long flash. And the color...a very exotic mixture of azure and dark green now held the place of what used to be clouded and murky.

Sokka retired to his own cot, thinking deeply about what he had seen, and hoping Katara wouldn't notice the cumbersome knot his inexperienced fingers had tied on the bandages.

* * *

"Remember when we used to water bend because we had to?" Aang asked Katara as a thin line of water followed the movement of his fingertips. "Seems like so long ago."

"It does," the young woman agreed. Even though it was horribly cold, both had taken off their bulky coats, boots, and gloves. Water bending was enough even to make the most experienced masters sweat.

Katara stood knee deep in the round pool, wearing her traditional chest bindings and loincloth. Bulbs of water followed her serene movements, dodging in and out of the pool, around her slim body.

"What do you think Sokka is doing?" Aang said, his voice the only other sound besides the splashing of water.

"Eating," Katara replied, smiling. "You know how Sokka is."

Aang stopped water bending and sat on the snowy bank, watching as Katara's little bulbs of water came together and formed a hairlike whip. Even now it was amazing to him that she had mastered so much knowledge about Water, whereas he had had to divide his talents among many other elements, sometimes forgetting what he knew about Air.

"What are you watching?" Katara asked him abruptly. The whip fell like dead weight into the water. She turned to look behind her. "What is it?"

"Nothing!" Aang stated nervously, his face red. "Just...you've...gotten so good at this. It's hard to believe that you were ever...you know, an amateur."

Katara came and sat next to him, pulling her coat around her shoulders. She felt her face go warm. It was amazing that, after almost four years of friendship, she still had the power to make Aang blush. And vice versa.

"We were both amateurs," she corrected. "You've gotten pretty good yourself." As if on cue, she put her frigid hand on his. "You used a lot of water bending when you were fighting the Fire Lord."

"Yes," Aang stated plainly, sighing. He hated it whenever Katara would remind him of his legendary battle with Fire Lord Ozai. He took his other hand and ran it through his dark hair, a feature that he was never quite able to give up.

"Why don't you like remembering the fight, Aang?" the water bender asked him. "You destroyed him...and you didn't even need the Avatar State. Yet ever time I bring it up you refuse to talk to me about it."

Aang, perhaps only now noticing that Katara's hand was on top of his, laced his cold fingers through hers. She looked down, blushing. "You saw what happened," he whispered. "I used everything, and in the end he was still too strong. He almost killed you." Aang was silent. His voice shook. "You saw the way he died."

In all honesty, it was the most barbaric death Katara had ever witnessed. Aang had _inflated _Ozai, pushing a huge ball of air down his throat. His lungs had exploded instantly, and his eyes had popped out of his head. It was no wonder that Aang was ashamed of it.

But he had had a reason. No matter which way Ozai died, he was still going to die. There was no other way around that.

"The world needed saving. You did what you needed to do," Katara told him softly. "What's done is done."

Her words provided him with comfort, but Aang couldn't help but notice that she still looked tired and depressed. He was surprised to find that her eyes had even lost some of their bluish luster. Regardless, Aang held her gaze within his own. He couldn't help but stare.

"Now what are you watching?" Katara asked him courtly, traces of pink still across her cheeks. "I don't see any water bending going on, Aang. What's the excuse this time?"

He blushed furiously, nearly chocking. "It's just that...you're really beautiful, that's all. And I...just was noticing that so..."

Katara, fully reddened, kissed his cheek. She let go of his hand. "Let's go back," she said. "It's getting late."

_Of course, _Aang thought miserably as they walked back. He trailed behind his friend slowly, wondering if anyone in the world had luck as wretched as his. And if the whole healing session with Toph had taken Katara away from him.


	3. Three

**

* * *

Eyes Are Windows to the Soul**

**Summary: **Before her return to GaoLing, Katara persuades Toph to visit the practiced healers of the North Pole for a session that may diminish her blindness. Little did Toph know that the procedure was carried out by the young water bender herself. Rated for character death, future setting, suggestive themes. Taang, Tokka, Kataang.

**Author's Note: **Again, thankful for full volumes of reviews and alerts. Remember, the more reviews I get, the quicker I update. ;-)

This chapter mentions "Hawky," a messanger bird that Sokka buys in one of the season three episodes. Zuko and Azula will be mentioned further in later chapters (you must excuse my hatred for them in the beginning.)

And remember, the speed at which I update is directly proportional to the reviews. Plus, I like this Katara-Toph bonding, and I'd like to see what you guys thought of it.

-ScorpioRed112

* * *

**Three **

Toph slept a full 24 hours straight, acknowledging nothing, feeling sick to her stomach, and gently rolling from side to side every now and again.

She had many blurred dreams. Sounds and vibrations that faded and ran into one another. But the most vivid dream came in complete color, a thing she had never experienced. All she knew was that it was simply marvelous. Shapes and light emerging from the darkness in front of her, something that she guessed was a face, and then Sokka's soothing voice that still had the power to give her chills.

Then the color was gone. A void, lonely blackness took its place. Even though she was sound asleep, Toph longed to have that dream again. The warm, oozing colors, the fragile light, and the voice of a young man she had grown too fond of...

But after the dream, pain had also settled in. Infliction from her forehead down. Toph's whole face felt as though it was falling apart. The back of her head, which she had never paid much attention to before, seemed to be on fire. Even though the girl's pain tolerance was high (and even though she had experienced much worse after the Day of Black Sun), she couldn't help but cringe under the pressure of her new eyes. To Toph, it was enough to make anyone go mad.

That morning she awoke to the familiar sound of the door closing, and soft, ruffled steps coming up to greet her.

"Katara," the girl whispered to the form. "When are we leaving for GaoLing?"

The waterbender, surprised that Toph had recognized the slight shuffle of her boots, sat down next to the cot. "I'm going to give you some Spirit Oasis water today," she stated somberly. "And then we're leaving the Healing Center for Chief Arnook's palace, and then the Earth Kingdom." Katara poured some of the liquid from her water skin into Toph's mouth. The earthbender made a face.

"How are you feeling?" Katara asked, obviously wracked with concern. "You were sleeping all day yesterday. I was getting worried."

"I feel disgusting," the younger girl admitted blankly. "I hate it here. It smells weird and it's crawling with old people." Some water dripped from Toph's chin to her shirt; she felt Katara wipe it away. "The sooner we leave, the better."

Toph heard Katara sniffle and close the water skin.

"I know. I'm sorry," Katara said uncomfortably. She rubbed her arms, diverting her gaze to the floor. "I'm just...I'm so sorry. Awfully, horribly sorry..." The water bender buried her face into her hands. She felt her mouth tremble. This was it. After two days of worry and fear, she was finally cracking down. "You didn't want to do this and I dragged you into it anyway. I'm so sorry. I...I wish that...I'm so, so sorry..."

Toph sat silently on the cot with her ears attentive. "Why are you crying?"

Katara looked up, tears still raw on her cheeks. She realized she couldn't answer. She had no idea why she was sobbing like a child.

"You shouldn't be crying," Toph said in a surprisingly apologetic tone. "You didn't do anything wrong, Katara. You just wanted to help. And anyway, I agreed to it. There's nothing wrong with that." Despite the pain, Toph smiled and added, "besides, I feel fine."

Katara let out a desperate laugh, wiping some persistent tears away. "You're so strong," she uttered as she began pulling back loose strands of Toph's hair. "And you aren't complaining about the pain. Every day you surprise me, Toph. Even more than Aang does." Katara, shocked she could say this to Toph so comfortably, moved the strands into a braid and tied them firmly behind the earthbender's head. "It's so hard for me to see you this—"

"I'm fine," Toph finished quickly, stopping her companion in mid-sentence. "You don't have to pity me, Katara. Besides, in a few days or so, we'll be equal. And I'll be able to see my parents." The mere thought brought a short smile to Toph's lips. "And I'll actually _see _see them. Not just feel their vibrations a way off. They'll be so happy you suggested this for me." In truth, one of the main reasons Toph had agreed to come to the North Pole for this session was simply to please and impress her over concerned parents.

Hearing Toph's certainty, the way she made everything seem so definite and true, instantly gave Katara hope. It even drew an envious gaze from the waterbender as well. Toph would never need any one to lean on. Even from a young age she was completely independent. Perhaps out of admiration, or perhaps out of thanks, Katara swung her arms around Toph's neck, pulling her into a painstakingly tight embrace.

"You're amazing, Toph" Katara said simply. To her immediate surprise, Toph returned the hug.

"Thanks," she replied. "You too." The earthbender, much to Katara's displeasure, undid the braid. "Now stop whimpering and tell me when I can take these annoying bandages off."

Katara laughed, and her mood instantly brightened. It had been so easy talking to Toph instead of worrying and obsessing over her. In this instant, she was truly convinced that Toph was fine. Tired, of course, and probably experiencing pain, but still alive and well. Katara had done nothing wrong. Guilt, majestic and terrifying, left Katara's mind and heart in unison.

"Here's the deal," the healer started. "You sort of have an advantage. Up here, when they heal people who were blinded, the patients can't recognize shapes and faces even many months after their session. Fortunately for you, you already have a general idea of what the human body looks like. You just need to match it with the vibrations you feel."

Toph grunted. "You've put a lot of thought into this."

"I just want it to work," Katara replied, taking Toph's hand. "When this final layer comes off, you're going to get a lot of light in. And then you—are you closing your eyes?"

Katara hadn't noticed it until now, but with the sufficient morning light, she could easily see past Toph's bandages. Her eye lids were squeezed shut.

Toph blinked forcibly, her suddenly twisting into a contorted scowl. "What of it?"

"You should be trying to use your eyes as much as possible, Toph," Katara reasoned in distress. "If I take off the bandages now, you'll just keep blinking and shutting your eyes."

Toph sighed annoyingly, obviously not very pleased with the news. "Well, every time I even try opening my eyes, my head...it just gets..." Toph breathed in angrily, removing her hand from under Katara's and crossing her arms. "Katara...it...every time I open them it...feels..."

"It hurts you," Katara finished, looking down. _Of course._ Toph would have never admitted to feeling pain. Even after the young earth bender had fought against Ozai alongside Aang and successfully covered herself in burns, she hadn't admitted to infliction. "It hurts you when you open your eyes."

Toph didn't answer. Her lower lip jutted forward, eyes still squeezed shut.

Katara straighted her back. "Toph, does it hurt or doesn't it? I need to know. I have to help you." Spirit liquid from the water skin laced around Katara's hand as she moved it towards Toph's forehead. When it made contact with the bandages and Toph's skin underneath, however, the earthbender screamed and pushed Katara's hand away furiously.

"Don't apply any pressure there!" Toph hissed, her eyes squinting out the water and the soft light coming in from the bandage. "Just don't touch it!"

"I'm sorry!" Katara cried apologetically. "You should have told me it hurts there! We would have never removed any bandages!" Frantically Katara mopped up the water around Toph's face and neck with a cloth. "This is horrible," she muttered. "It doesn't make any sense."

"It was fine the first day," Toph reasoned, rubbing her temples and the back of her head. "Everything was fine when we took off the first layer. It was a little annoying but it didn't hurt like this."

"You're sure you didn't remove this bandage?" Katara asked suspiciously. "Toph, if you let any light in—"

"I'm not stupid!" Toph replied devensively. "I may be eager but I'm not an idiot. You told me not to so I didn't."

Katara turned Toph's head to the side and observed the back of the bandage. "This looks like it's been tampered with," she muttered. "Some one was in here."

"Who?" Toph asked. "The door's been closed as far as I know."

Katara paused. "This isn't my knot," she said. "You're sure no one came in?"

Toph was still for a moment. Katara saw her blink. "I had a dream that some one came in," Toph said quietly, a little embarrassed. "But it's probably not relevant."

"Who was it?"

"Nothing. No one," Toph assured, turning so that her back was to Katara. "It was just a stupid dream."

"Toph, sometimes what we think are dreams are things that actually happen." Katara pulled more of Toph's hair back. "What did you dream about?"

Still the young earthbender was silent. She shifted her weight. "I just...last night I thought I saw your brother come in here," she whispered. "I actually _saw _him too. Everything was really bright and there were no vibrations. The only way I knew it was Sokka was because I heard his voice." Toph paused. She felt her face flare with warmth, adding to the throbbing pain in her forehead. She couldn't believe she was telling this to Katara. "It felt like...he was really close to me."

Katara, likewise, couldn't close her mouth. "You saw _Sokka _come in here?" she exclaimed madly.

"It was just a dream!" Toph scolded, turning back to face the healer. Her tone fell. "And it was a really nice dream...it was so colorful and alive. That's why there's no way it's true. This place is probably the bleakest color in the universe. Not that I know yet...but it sounds dull and uninteresting."

"How close was he?" Katara asked, her tone frightened and high. "Close to your face?"

Toph blinked a few more times under the still wet bandages. "I don't know. Close."

"Did he touch your bandages?"

"I'm telling you I don't know!" Toph snapped. She knew Katara was only trying to help, but, to her, Sokka was a very delicate subject. She wasn't going to tell Katara of the erupting feelings she felt for the young man, nor the dream that portrayed her feelings so definitely. Especially what Toph had heard Sokka say:_ This skin is so pale...She's lost a lot of bile...It's not something that's going to happen overnight. I should probably leave. I'll wake her._

"It was just a stupid dream, I told you that," the earthbender finished, reddening. "Just nothing."

Katara looked away, surprised that they were both blushing. "I'm sorry. It's just that...I know he really wants to see you."

Toph was quiet for a moment, still pink in the face. "He...he does?"

"Yeah," Katara finished cheerfully, noticing Toph's sudden interest. "He wanted to see you as soon as you were done but I told him not to."

"Oh," Toph replied, a hint of irritation in her voice.

"You're getting red," Katara noticed. "You must be coming down with a fever or something. The temperature in this building is very unreliable." Katara placed a hand on Toph's forehead. "Goodness, Toph...you're burning up!"

"It's nothing," Toph assured, pulling Katara's hand down. "What else did Sokka do?"

And suddenly, it became all too clear why Toph had been so uncomfortable talking about her Sokka-related dream, and why Toph was suddenly showing Sokka-related interest, and why her face had immediately grown so warm and red in the past couple of seconds. Katara was so shocked that she hadn't noticed it before.

"Toph!" she exclaimed unconsciously, slapping her forehead as if she had forgotten something.

"What?" the younger girl asked in surprise. "What's wrong?"

Katara blinked a few times, feeling her own face grow hot, before she shook her head and started for the door. "Nothing, I just remembered something."

"You're leaving?" Toph asked regretfully.

"Yes, but I'll be back soon," Katara promised. "I have a few questions for my brother that need answering. I'll bring you back something to eat."

"Sounds good," Toph agreed from her cot, feeling her stomach grumble. "It's been two days. I'm starving."

Katara shut the door softly. "Of course. I'll be back soon."

* * *

Sometimes, when his mind was forced to recollect the happenings of the past, Aang would remember Zuko. 

He remembered the last time he saw the young prince, fleeing for his life away from the Fire Nation Palace. He remembered the look or horror, disgust, and misfortune setting on the firebender's face. The way the world must have flipped upside down for him. Zuko was left powerless for eight minutes. After which disappeared for almost three years.

Some had heard rumors that former Fire Lord Ozai had sent him and Azula to former Earth Kingdom colonies for safety. Although this theory made sense, no one accepted it as true. Others knew that Azula, Zuko, and Mai (after mourning over the loss of Ty Lee and Ozai), had began plotting with the rebellion forces against new Fire Lord Iroh and the regime Avatar Aang had set in.

Even though Ozai was gone, Aang still feared his children. The rebellion forces, known unanimously as "The Vacant Shadow," were not only threatening, but also a constant danger.

Zuko's scarred face, therefore, remained a constant in his memory. As did the final battle with Zuko's father.

Ozai had nearly killed Toph and Katara, whereas Sokka hadn't gotten that close to his throne. Toph, needless to say, removed herself from the situation fast enough with her earthbending. But Katara, who was working to protect Aang from any more burns and wounds and working with a fairly small amount of water, wouldn't flee. Ozai then created a giant wall of flames and ash and pulled himself up to Katara, grabbed her hair fiercely, and placed his parallel fingers to her chest.

A shot that would have burned straight through the girls' ribs to her heart, an instant kill.

Was it his unconditional admiration of Katara that had sent him spiraling in a trance second only to that of the Avatar State? Possibly. Aang had been blinded by his own fury, his own hatred of this persistent war, that he didn't see what he did next.

All he saw was the outcome: two orange eyes, popping out of Ozai's devilish head, and Ozai's horrid chest inflating twice its size. Katara's fragile body falling to the floor as Ozai's clenched fingers held fast to her chest bindings. A howl of diabolical pain and frustration.

Taking off his shirt, Aang had covered his companion and taken her outside, where thousands of Fire Nation soldiers lay face down in the dirt surrounding the palace. Katara awoke, half dazed and embarrassed but also petrified. Gently she pulled her savior's head down to her own face, and whispered faintly, "you saved me," before grasping Aang's face even tighter and planting a delicate, frightened kiss on the Avatar's cheek.

He returned the gesture, and quietly murmured, "I love you," before Katara fainted and nearly fell out of his arms.

The scenes refused to leave Aang's memory or his dreams. Sometimes he would still pounce awake screaming one of his friends' names or "I love you!" Even though he knew it was hopeless, he felt he needed help. Specifically, that of Katara.

Still, all of the time that Toph was taking had given Aang ample amounts of time to think. If anything, he wanted to know if Katara remembered the Day of Black Sun. If it mattered.

* * *

"I'm not going to play games with you," Katara's voice snapped at the back of her brother's head. "Did you or did you not pull off Toph's bandages?" 

Sokka knew this was bad news. He had only been sitting on his cot, sharpening his sword, when along came Katara to bring him to justice.

"I...don't know what you're talking about," the boy lied coolly, playing with his sword. "Who told you that?"

"Toph did!" Katara cried, snatching the sword away. "She keeps saying it was a dream but—"

"Then it was a dream," Sokka calmed.

His sister didn't speak. Her hands on her hips and her face inches away from his, she sent him a spine chilling glare that instantly made him turn his face.

"Fine, fine..." Sokka started, jutting his lower lip and cursing Katara's seriousness. "I was in there for a second, if even that. I just wanted to make sure she was okay."

"I knew it!" Katara exclaimed, throwing his sword down. A ringing similar to that of a tuning fork accompanied her voice. "Sokka, how could you? You know she's not ready yet! I told you, these things take time. You can't just—"

"Relax!" Sokka replied anxiously. "I know what you told me, but you were out with Aang and I figured you wouldn't care if I was only in there for a little bit."

"We weren't 'out,'" Katara corrected, feeling her face flush. "We were waterbending, Sokka. Aang and I aren't—"

"Same thing," Sokka stated, sighing at his sister's easily tensed nerves. "Just don't worry about it."

"Listen to me," the waterbender commanded. "Do you know what Toph told me today? She said she could _see _you. She said she knew it was you because she heard your voice."

"That's a lie!" Sokka replied angrily, almost standing up. "Katara, I _did _go in there, but I didn't talk. I promise you that. I knocked and asked if she would open the door, but she was asleep."

Katara was quiet. "Her eyes were closed?"

"Some what," the warrior answered. "They opened a little before I left."

The waterbender plopped herself down on Sokka's cot, her face to the ceiling. "You're all driving me mad!" the girl exclaimed. Moments passed before she pulled Sokka's sword off of the floor and gave it back to her brother. "I'm sorry I threw this," she said apologetically before getting up to leave.

"It's okay," Sokka replied. "I'm sorry I went in Toph's healing chamber."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to see who's telling the truth," Katara answered monotonously.

Sokka, regardless of such a recent argument with his sister, grinned and walked to the corner of the waiting chamber. He came back with three scrolls. "These came in from Hawky just yesterday," he stated. One's for us and one's for Toph from the Bei Fong's. There's another one that's labeled for Aang. I'm sure riffling through other peoples' mail will make you feel better." Sokka smiled his boyish smile and laughed heartily.

Katara took the rolled pieces of parchment, her gaze fixed on the floor. "Why isn't Aang here with you?"

"I don't know. I think he's taking a nap," Sokka replied. He placed a hand on his sister's shoulder, his tone suddenly low and sincere. "Get some rest, would you?" her brother begged. "I know you're worried but soon you're going to need more healing than Toph does."

"I'm fine," Katara answered. She squinted heavily at the third scroll. "Find Aang and tell him about this message. It looks like it's addressed from the Fire Nation."

"Yeah, yeah."

As Katara left, her brother paced to the window. He felt a fairly disturbing thought bubble to the insides of his stomach. Could it be that Toph had heard something he hadn't had said? How would it have been possible? Sokka, hoping it was hunger that was leading him to these ideas, shook the thought and focused instead on the morning light streaming from the heavens, silently wondering what Toph's reaction would be to these fully colored wonders.


	4. Four

**Eyes Are Windows to the Soul**

**Full Summary:** Before her return to GaoLing, Katara persuades Toph to visit the practiced healers of the North Pole for a session that may diminish her blindness. Little did Toph know that the procedure was carried out by the young water bender herself. Rated for character death, future setting, suggestive themes. Taang, Tokka, Kataang.

**Author's Note: **Hello again, fiction readers! I apologize for the length of this chapter (it's extremely long...is that a good thing or a bad thing?) I also know that I haven't updated in a while. Please, forgive the wait and think more about the update.

I must say that, other than "The Drabble Scrolls," this is my favorite fic to write so far! Your continous comments are much appreciated!

I do fan art for my fictions as well. If you're interested, search "ScorpioRed112" at d e v i a n t a r t . c o m (without the spaces).

_REMEMBER TO REVIEW!_

* * *

**Four**

Katara had planned (originally, of course), that the healing session would be over and done with in three days tops, and that the team would travel to Chief Arnook's palace in the middle of the week. GaoLing would then only be a few days away, considering that Appa had had a nice, long rest, and that he was ready to fly by the time Toph was ready to see.

But, as usual for Katara, things weren't going as smoothly as she had planned.

First of all, she hadn't anticipated actually _doing_ anything during the healing session. She had planned to watch, yes...but never in her wildest dreams did she imagine _healing _Toph's blindness. The fact that she had done so anyway left her weak and sleepy. And now, instead of being excited for Toph and her new found vision, she was worried and anxious that she had done something wrong.

Next, Sokka had disobeyed her and visited Toph at the most inconvenient time. Toph's occipital lobe (the part of her brain that dealt with imagery and visual memory, located at the back of the head) had been dormant for about 14 years. When Sokka had pulled the bandages down, light poured into Toph's newly unshielded eyes, firing unused neurons in said occipital lobe and causing Toph great infliction. Katara now feared not only for Toph's eyes, but also her brain, which had never been exposed to any light at all. Put simply: Sokka had messed things up. Hopefully, Katara wouldn't have to go back and fix them.

And then there was Toph herself, who was still raw and sore from the session, and was still doing her best to sound tough and strong. There were times when Katara cursed this blind courage that Toph showed, times when Katara just wanted to slap the girl and say, "why can't anything break you?" or "Toph, just confess that it hurts so I know what's going on!"

But that wouldn't do any good, because Toph was as dense and impenetrable as the elements she bended. And Katara couldn't say that anyway, because ever since the Blind Bandit had joined the group, she had felt (for the first time in her life) that she had a sister.

The three scrolls that Sokka had given her, therefore, distressed the young healer all the more. Even before Katara read them, she knew they were going to delay her already horribly delayed plans. To make matters even worse, Aang had disappeared for what seemed like hours, and Katara found herself worrying about him and Toph alike as she sat down to read the messages.

_Dearest Avatar Aang, _the first, reddened scroll started.

_It brings me great regret and excitement to deliver this news to you so late, but I hope you will accept this enticing news regardless, and that this message will not upset you too much._

"Great," Katara said out loud to herself. "This can only be wonderful news."

_You do remember that your last visit to the Fire Nation placed me, Fire Lord Iroh, in power. I will never forget what you did for our nation or the world, and so I decided almost immediately after you left that I would make it up to you somehow. As new Fire Lord, I first set in the regime you suggested for reconstruction, and then I sent out all of the Fire Nation search parties to look for remaining airbenders in the Earth Kingdom. _

"No," Katara whispered hoarsely. "Impossible..." Her eyes grew wide as she read, but then she squinted when the letters went fuzzy. Shaking her head in disbelief, she continued.

_We have found about four people who claim to be descendants of the Air Nomads. I must say that they look fairly similar to you (their eyes are gray, and they tell hilarious jokes!) Although none of them are airbenders, they hope very much to meet you. I understand that you are currently residing in the Northern Water Tribe. These nomads will be in my palace for a month. If you do not show up, I will suspect you never received this letter, and will send another._

The message was signed, "_Fire Lord Iroh_," and had official Fire Nation pendants attached to either end of the red parchment. It looked formal, but at the same time, deadly.

Katara clasped her mouth with her free hand, feeling tears swell up behind her eye lids. This was such good news! And at the same time, it was awfully disturbing news that made the girl want to curl up into Aang's arms and make him promise not to go. For, even though she hated to admit it, she felt he had become her property, and she instantly feared that these new "nomads" would get in the way of their complex yet simple relationship.

_I need to stop being so selfish, _she thought, trying to get a hold of herself. _He doesn't need to know that these came in...but what am I going to do? _

As she folded the scroll back the way it had came, she frowned decisively. "There's no way this can be possible," she told herself quietly, inspecting the scroll again. "The airbenders were wiped out. And Iroh has too many things going on now to be sending silly messages to the North Pole like this."

These thoughts brought Katara slight comfort, and so she moved on to the message sent from the Southern Water Tribe, untying the silver band that held the manuscript shut.

_To our beloved Sokka and Katara,_

_I hope this message finds you in the best of health, as we certainly hope you are enjoying your second visit to our sister tribe, my first home._

_It brings me hope to know that your closest friend has visited the fairly new Healing Center. Katara, I'm sure you were part of the operations as a whole, as I have told everyone how magnificent your bending has come to be in the short time we spent training._

_The renovations we have made to the Southern Water Tribe are marvels in themselves. It was my genius (with a little help from my new students) that has crafted your old home into something quite like a wonderland. _

Katara, suddenly forgetting the depressing information from the Fire Nation, smiled at this breathtaking news. _This had to have been written by Master Pakku_,she thought fondly, remembering her former master. She quickly continued skimming over the remaining characters.

_Yes, the changes we've made are both spine chilling and memorable. It's hard to believe that at one point, our Sister Tribe was struggling to maintain its members._

Suddenly, Katara heard the gentle slam of the door behind her. She put the scroll down before she could finish and turned to find Aang, who seemed to be having trouble holding on to three large boxes.

Instinctively she stood up to help him.

"Hey, Katara," the Avatar greeted from behind the containers.

"Hey. Where have you been?" she asked him, taking two of the boxes off the top. An enchanting smell wafted from the center of the white packages. Katara immediately recognized it.

"Aang! You bought sugared dates," the healer said happily, cracking open one of the boxes and inhaling the aroma of the Water Tribe pastry. Katara lifted one of the brown, sugary dates and inspected it, her smile bright and wide. "These are my favorites! Aang, you shouldn't have!"

"Actually, Katara...well..." Aang watched as his companion popped one of the dates into her mouth. He winced and rubbed his neck. "I sort of...actually...I actually bought them for Toph."

Katara blinked a few times, the syrupy date suddenly losing its taste on her tongue. "...oh," she replied, her voice low. She swallowed and looked down regretfully. "You...bought these for Toph?" Her question sounded more shocked than inquisitive. "That's really...nice of you, Aang."

"Yeah, well." Aang took the two boxes from Katara, his face already red with embarrassment. "I figured she would need a little something sweet after that whole session, you know? I mean, you said it yourself, it's not something that's going to happen over night."

"Hmm."

"I'm really sorry," Aang continued, not sure of what he was apologizing for. "I should have told you before you...well, dived right into them." He smiled shyly, examining the box that now held 19 instead of 20 dates. "You can finish this box, if you'd like. I mean, I'm sure Toph wouldn't mind. She hasn't even seen these yet. I wouldn't mind, Katara, if you had this box."

"No, that's fine," she replied coldly, her attention shifting back to the scrolls.

"Do you think she likes sugared dates?"

"Well, I don't know, Aang. That's really something you have to ask her yourself."

Aang looked down. It was obvious that he had, in some way, offended the waterbender. He sighed heavily, his focus still on the sugared dates. The only reason he had suddenly taken interest in the earthbender was because Katarahad been so busy and interested with her in the first place. He wanted them to share a common interest—and in this case, it just happened to be Toph.

"I also bought some fried dough," Aang continued nervously, setting the packages on the ground. "Would you like some?"

"No, I'm fine. Just give them to Toph," the healer answered, her tone just as icy as it had been before. Aang couldn't help but realize that her eyes seemed fogged over and preoccupied.

"Is anything wrong?" he inquired, his gaze rolling over to the three, half open scrolls. He walked over to them. "What are those?"

Katara, who had been sleepily rubbing her eyes, stopped abruptly and pulled Aang's shoulder back before he could get too close. "They're nothing!" she responded defensively. "Just some stuff Sokka and I need to take care of."

"If you say so, Katara," he stated innocently, picking up the three boxes. "Could you give these to Toph for me? I know you still don't want us in there, but sugared dates go stale if they're not eaten right away. And fried dough goes soggy—"

"I know," the girl interrupted. She took the boxes away from Aang regretfully, her nose once again filling with the captivating fragrance. She felt her stomach churn before she turned to him. "Our plans are delayed as they are. We might have to leave for Chief Arnook's palace by tomorrow."

"Alright," Aang said quietly. "Maybe you should get some rest in the between time, then? You look—"

"Tired? I know, but—"

"No, not tired." Aang got a little closer to her face, as if there was a secret meaning hiding behind Katara's skin. "You just look really different. I mean, not extremely different or anything. You just seem to look...I don't know...a lot like Toph, if you'll believe it."

Katara pushed his shoulder away gently, a mixture of jealousy and annoyance for Aang and Toph alike. "Hmm," she answered vaguely. "Why don't you go help Sokka pack up our stuff, Aang?" This time her question sounded more like a command, and Aang left the room without answering, wondering if he had done anything wrong.

* * *

Contrary to what Katara had told her, and contrary to the pain that Toph was feeling down her spine and around her head, she had gotten out of her cot and walked around the small healing chamber. She found that it didn't contain much: her cot, a small stone sink in the furthest corner, a wooden cabinet, various furs that hung from the walls and covered the floor, a huge Water Tribe emblem that hung right next to the window over her cot. 

The vibrations were murky and very hard for Toph to pinpoint, mostly because the floor was crafted with a wood finish and ice underneath. The icy temperature chilled the girls mostly exposed skin. As Toph realized, her puffy shorts and strapless shirt weren't going to do her much in the North Pole. Regardless, Toph was happy that bits of her strength were coming back.

As for her eyes, she was practicing opening them more often. The pain was unbearable when she looked at one side of her room (she could now feel that this was where a window was located), but over all the infliction seemed to be dying down. She had never imagined that she would actually be able to _see_. But so far, Toph was confused at the results. Everything just seemed brighter and larger than she had remembered it. She could feel a hole in the wall for the window, but when she looked, extreme brightness over came her, and she squinted out the light harshly, covering her bandages with her hands, and turning her face the opposite way.

Toph continued exploring the small room until she heard Katara's soft foot steps ruffling down the hall. She quickly jumped back into the cot and covered herself, trying her best to look asleep.

Katara pushed the door open with her back, as her hands were full.

"Hello, Toph," the healer greeted, putting down whatever she had brought. "How are you feeling?" Toph smiled at the new scent: something really, really sweet, and also something really pungent.

"Fine, fine...What did you bring me?" Toph asked quickly, licking her lips. "It smells awesome!"

She could hear Katara move around and lift something. Ceramic cups or plates bumped into each other as she placed the tray on Toph's lap.

"I brought you some jade tea, rice and spiced pork," Katara answered. "It's not the best rice...this healing facility isn't exactly a gourmet restaurant. But I guess it's okay. And..." The healer paused uncomfortably. "And...Aang bought you sugared dates and fried dough from town."

Toph spread her fingers over the edge of the tray and tried looking down at it. She could see brightness, which she guessed was coming from the metallic tray itself, but also dark shapes in front of the light. And then, smoky illumination that erupted from these dark shapes.

Katara must have seen Toph's baffled frown. "That's steam, Toph," Katara pointed out merrily, pulling Toph's hand over the mist. "Can you see it?"

Toph tried looking at the tray again, her head cocked to one side. She kept her hand over the smoky light, clenching her fingers at the warmth. "So that's steam," she stated confidently. "I've always felt steam but I didn't know you could see it."

Although Toph didn't know it, the waterbender was smiling warmly at her, proud of her progress. "You'll be able to see lots of things when the bandages come off tomorrow."

Toph, who had started drinking the steamy tea, nearly choked. She put the cut down abruptly. "What? You mean I can take all of these off tomorrow?" Her voice issued a tone of nervousness and excitement. The hunger she had been experiencing in the last couple of hours vanished. "But I thought you wanted to take everything slowly! Katara—this is..."

"I know what I said, Toph," the waterbender started. "But don't think I didn't hear you walk around the room today." Katara laughed mischievously, noticing Toph's coy smile. "Besides, I won't be able to keep Aang and Sokka out of here forever." The healer's mind drifted back to the urgent scrolls that required their immediate attention. Her heart sank when she remembered that she hadn't opened or read the scroll from GaoLing, which probably also held important information.

"They really care that much?" Toph asked, her mouth already stuffed with fried dough. "I find it hard to believe that Twinkle Toes would go out of his way to buy _me _a present."

"Well, believe it," Katara informed, crossing her arms. Toph noticed the slight temper in her air. "He was gone for hours! I had actually started worrying until he came pushing through the door with these boxes. Imagine that! He was out _shopping_ for pastries while I was worrying about him. Ha!"

Toph swallowed, washing down the sweet dough with bitter tea. "Chill, Katara," she calmed evenly. "I'm sure he didn't mean it in a bad way. You know how Twinkle Toes is." The patient reached out for Katara's hand and placed a fistful of dates in her tanned palm. "What made him think I would finish these on my own?"

Katara took the dates gratefully, hoping that her evident jealousy hadn't revealed too much. "So tell me, were you okay when you walked?"

"Hunky-dory," Toph answered shortly, attacking the rice. "You seriously do need to relax, you know. I mean, this ice isn't really potent and everything feels blurry, but I'll be able to see soon, right? So what does it matter?"

"I just...I really don't want to rush you into this," Katara began, smoothing her kimono over her knees. "What are the odds that three messages came in to mess up our plans after they've already been delayed?"

"Anything for me?"

Katara paused, rubbing her arm nervously. "Yes, Toph...something from GaoLing. I haven't read it yet, to be honest with you. This message came in from Iroh and I...and it said—" The waterbender stopped abruptly, suddenly remembering what the scroll had informed from the Fire Nation. She bit her lip, feeling tears swell up behind her eyes.

"Blah, blah, blah...something boring about politics and the Avatar, I'm sure." Toph stretched her fingers out in front of her, noticing that the light from the tray was now blocked out by ten straight lines and two fleshy palms. "Why don't you go get my scroll and read it for me?" she asked, as if this was something Katara should have done in the first place. "My parents will probably suspect a quick reply."

"Of course." Katara left for mere moments and returned with the Bei Fong's scroll, neatly wrapped and marked for Toph. _They must think she can already see and read,_ Katara thought sarcastically. _I have to admit that these people are fairly strange...and they're expecting too much._

"Here we go," Katara started, clearing her throat. Toph folded her knees below her chin, listening intently, and watching the dark form in front of her under the bandages.

"To our Toph. My dearest child, it has come to our attention that after you left GaoLing weeks ago, you still have not replied with news of your healing session. Your mother and I are worried that nothing has happened, or that (worse) something has gone wrong."

Katara stopped reading when she heard Toph grunt and then roar with laughter. "Wow! I was gone for about three years, and now they're worried because I haven't written to them in a few weeks?" Toph continued sipping her tea, the smile never leaving her lips. "Weird. Keep reading, Katara," she demanded.

"We desperately wish to see you, Toph. Doubtless, we would like to see our daughter with vision and show you the wonderful renovations that we have made to the city and our home alike.

"And of course, although it probably does not interest you at the moment, many a suitor have come in search for your hand. However, because you aren't here to see them, they have left and wait eagerly for your return. They are brilliant men of the Earth Kingdom, captivating and entrancing." Katara paused briefly, smiling at the thought of _Toph _having suitors. When she looked up, she saw that the earthbender's face was contorted into a scowl, with a dash of bright red right over her cheeks.

"I ask you to please do us a favor, Toph, and come back home as quickly as physically possible. Even if you only stay for a week and then travel again with the Avatar and his family, we really do need to see you again. With much, much love, Lao Bei Fong."

When Katara stopped reading, the room was silent. Toph listened as the healer rolled the scroll up and placed it beside her.

"That's your scroll," Katara informed lamely.

"No, really?" The earthbender sighed, moving her hand up to her forehead. "This is really weird, Katara."

"How's that?" Katara picked out another handful of sugared dates from the boxes Toph hadn't gotten to, happy that she could some how spite Aang even though he wasn't here. "Your parents have always been overprotective. Not that that's a bad thing, but I sort of expected them to be in a hurry to see you."

"Stop eating my dates!" Toph snapped, pulling the box away from the healer. "And I know they're overprotective, but do you really think that they would tell me about suitors? I'm fifteen, Katara."

"And?" Katara looked down at the scroll again, observing the intricate and fancy Earth Kingdom designs on the paper. "Fifteen is only one year away from a suitable marriage age, you know."

"It doesn't matter. My father would never be in a hurry to marry me off, especially after he figured out that I might have my vision back."

Katara was silent, her mind drifting to the possibilities behind the scroll. "Well, I don't know...they could just be in a hurry for grandchildren or something."

Toph's face flared with bright red. "That's gross—"

"Hey! I'm just saying," Katara cut off. "But you do know what this means, don't you? We're going to have to hurry our plans." Katara breathed in deeply, wishing dearly that she could just sleep and allow these problems to fall away. "These scrolls are all just so badly timed. Of all the stupid messages in the world! First Iroh with the Air nomads, then Master Pakku's that I didn't even finish, and now this!"

"Wait! Back up," Toph ordered. Katara could see that, behind her bandages, Toph's eyes were wide. The waterbender was shocked that Toph could so quickly grow used to them. "Air nomads? What's that all about?"

The room fell silent—the only noises being muffled laughter and speech from the rooms across the hall with other patients and healers. Katara started, glossy-eyed, at the window above Toph's cot, her face wracked with concentration. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet and intense, and (as Toph noticed) unstable.

"Iroh said...in his scroll...he said that he's found four people who say they're Air nomads." Katara's breath wavered, her tongue growing fat in her mouth. "Toph, they're waiting for Aang...to come see them at the Fire Nation Palace..." She drifted off to silence, hoping Toph hadn't deteced the fear and desperation in her voice.

"They're airbenders?" the younger girl asked quietly.

"No, just descendants."

"And why is this bothering you so much?"

The healer paused, amazed at how Toph was able to tell. She blinked and swallowed. "I don't know, Toph. Guess I'm just mad that all of these things are delaying our plans. I mean, things never go this crazy when Sokka plans them."

"Does Aang know?" Toph pried, catching on to Katara's hidden motive.

"Not yet." There was a short pause, in which Katara began to say something and then faltered. She breathed in, putting the words in order in her head, before she began again. "But...when he _does_ find out, he's going to want to go see them."

"So?" Toph began rubbing her feet, a habit that never fully gained approval from the waterbender. "No offense, Katara, but Twinkle Toes is a big boy now. It won't matter if he travels to the Fire Nation for a week after dropping us off at GaoLing." Toph flicked an undecipherable something away from her fingers. "In fact, I'm sure that's probably a better idea, considering that Aang and my parents didn't exactly make good first impressions."

The laughter next door rose and fell gracefully, filling Katara with even more urgency to leave the Healing Center. After Toph had finished her reasoning, Katara looked down in frustration. She didn't _want _Aang to leave them, even if it was only for a few weeks, even if the Bei Fong's _did_ detest him. She wanted him to remain under her careful supervision, possibly forever.

But what did it matter? Aang didn't seem to care about _her _this deeply. Sure, her seemed to admire her and follow her around and she vaguely remembers him killing Ozai to save her (but remembers nothing after that)...yet all of these gestures could only be considered flirtatious behavior. Besides, he had known sugared dates were her favorites, but had went out and bought Toph three boxes full anyway.

Didn't Katara need a "little something sweet" too?

The waterbender scowled at these thoughts, looking up to find Toph fiddling with her bandages, getting powdered sugar all over her hair.

"Toph, put your hands down," Katara ordered, gently slapping Toph's wrists. "I said tomorrow, remember? Nothing today. And unless you want lice by the time you see your parents, I would recommend washing your hands." True to her words, Katara stood and fetched the earthbender a warm, soapy cloth from the stone sink in the corner of the room.

"So are you going to let Aang go or what?" Toph asked coolly as she wiped off her fingers and continued moving the bandages around.

The reply came out impulsively (and almost hatefully). "He can go—I don't care," Katara stated decisively, crossing her arms. "You're right. It's not my place to stop him."

"That's the spirit," the earthbender agreed, throwing the now dirtied cloth at Katara. "When are we leaving for GaoLing?"

"I don't know yet, Toph...I still haven't finished reading the message that came in for me and Sokka." Toph's ears perked when Katara mentioned her brother's name. "I have a very bad feeling tat we're going to need to rush into things."

"Just like old times," Toph murmured, grinning.

"...Just like old times," Katara agreed. She gathered the Bei Fong scroll and stood up. "Get some rest in the mean time. And please don't stand up anymore, Toph. Or mess around with those bandages. We're delayed as it is."

As Katara slowly shut the door and began walking to the waiting chamber, she instantly remembered that she had left the remaining scrolls open on the table. And, just as she had predicted, Aang was sitting where she had been sitting minutes ago, the reddened scroll from the Fire Nation clasped between his fingers.

Her heart sank, because when he turned around to face her, she had never seen an expression as pained, hopeful, and confused, as the one she saw on his face then.


	5. Five

**Eyes Are Windows to the Soul**

**Author's Note: **I hope I haven't scared the lot of you...it seems that my writing style is fun to read but also beckons fright (who would have thought?)

Writing in character is fun when all the characters are in tight situations. Zuko and Azula are going to be big in the next chapter--just a warning...

Anyway, I put it in the summary and here it is: Possible Character Death and Suggestive Themes. Brace yourselves.

-Scorpiored112

* * *

Katara had no problems reading Aang's face. Sometimes the emotions were written on his pale skin, all over his tattoos, right beneath his eyes. She always knew what was wrong and how to fix it, because she had been with him for this long, and it had become second nature.

But his face now...she had never seen such an expression! And it scared her half to death, because when she squinted at the scroll he was holding, she realized it wasn't the Fire Nation Scroll at all, but the one that had come in from the South Pole.

She searched his face, looking for indications of what he was feeling, of what was going on. Surely Master Pakku's scroll couldn't have held bad news. She had almost finished it, and it was reading on so well. Surely Aang hadn't read the Fire Nation scroll yet. Surely there was nothing wrong.

Aang's eyes were misty and fogged over, looking past her. He stood up and steadied himself as he wiped his nose on his sleeve. When he spoke, he did so to the floor, his gaze never once meeting his companion's.

He walked over to her slowly. "Katara," he muttered sadly, forcing himself to meet her eyes. "I had no idea..."

His voice wavered almost monotonously. Katara could hear the confusion in his words, the suffering in his tone. How selfish she had been! Instinctively, she ran up to him and swung her arms around his shoulders. She heard the scroll he was holding drop the floor, filling the room with a vacant echo. Aang nervously wrapped his arms around her back, relishing the perfumed scent of Katara as it filled his nose and chest. If the waterbender had learned one thing from being with Aang all of these years, it was that she could instantly brighten his mood with one of her tight, evoking embraces.

"It's my fault," Katara murmured, breaking away from him regretfully. Suddenly the intense emotions she had felt towards the scroll earlier resurfaced. "I'm sorry...I didn't tell you because...I...I didn't want you...to..."

Aang looked away, feeling his stomach tie knots in his gut. He smiled coyly as he picked up the sky blue scroll from the ground. "It's okay, Katara." She felt her heart sink when he continued. "I can never stay mad at you, anyway."

"I'm still sorry, Aang," she replied, feeling his hand meet her shoulder. She sighed remorsefully and made her way to the table. "I just...I felt like this meant...that your scroll meant goodbye."

Aang seemed bothered by what she had told him. He followed her and sat on the chair as she parked herself on the table. "I wouldn't just leave like that, you know," he said, his voice tight. "Katara, do you really think that I would just go? I mean really, after hearing about your Gran Gran—"

"What about my Gran Gran?" she interrupted, furrowing her brows. She reached for the scroll that Aang held and pulled it to her, forcing it open and reading the characters.

Aang's expression contorted when he saw Katara lift a hand to her mouth, her face ablaze with confusion and anger.

"Oh God...Katara, please tell me that you knew about this." The Avatar blinked and sighed heavily. Of all things, he had to be the bearer of bad news. "Katara?"

The healer threw the scroll on the floor angrily, grimacing as she stood. She felt every muscle in her body tighten.

"Katara?"

She turned to him, her eyes full of hate and anguish, before wiping her eyes abruptly on her sleeve. "Aang!" the girl cried, throwing her arms in the air. "Why does this keep happening?"

"I'm sure she'll—"

"She's going to die!" Katara blurted, getting closer to him. "My grandmother is going to die, Aang! Didn't you see what Master Pakku wrote?" Aang could see Katara's eyes moisten before she turned her face. "And on top of all of this, Toph still hasn't healed, we're all the way on the other end of the world, and you're going to the Fire Nation to meet some random people that popped out of no where!"

"Katara, you're being ridiculous—"

Suddenly, the healer felt her arguments grow childish. Her face flushed as she looked at the brash airbender in front of her. "What do you mean by that?" she asked icily. "So I'm not allowed to worry about you? Is that what you're saying?"

"You're putting words in my mouth," Aang replied softly, trying his best to calm the girl. "You just need to relax, Katara, that's all. You're taking everything too quickly. Your Gran Gran will be fine. And so what if I leave? It won't matter, okay?"

Katara felt her pulse rise. Had she not worried about him obsessively since the day she had met him? Hadn't it occurred to him that she cared for him deeply and wanted to make sure he was always okay? What did he mean it wouldn't matter?

The repressing emotions Katara had been harboring, the jealousy towards Aang and Toph, the anger at her brother for disobeying her, the worry that was always spinning in her mind, the unacceptable yet lustful feelings she usually felt towards the young Avatar, erupted like a volcano.

"Aang, Iroh wants you to go see them!" Katara spat, her voice rising. Her fists clenched instantly at her sides as she stood up and looked at Aang's forehead, feeling even more emotion swell into her chest. "You're the Avatar! You're always this busy. And do I expect you to go? Of course I do! I mean, maybe you'll decide to stay, but maybe you'll go! And what will I do then, Aang, when my Gran Gran dies? What then? Huh? What will I do then?" Still in her raging state, she saw Aang stand up in front of her, confusion running rapid across his face.

"Do you have any idea how delayed our plans are?" She asked him angrily, shoving a finger into the chest she had hugged just moments ago. She could subconsciously feel tears sting her cheeks as she continued. Her voice wavered as she wiped them away wildly. "You don't get it, do you? I have to be with Toph until she sees her parents, Mr. Avatar! And now, my Grandmother is on the other side of the world—_dying_! And you have to go the Fire Nation! You know what that means? That means you'll have to leave _me_, Aang! That's what it means. That means you'll leave me alone and...that means we won't...Aang, you just—you don't care, okay? You don't seem to realize how much I—"

The words came to a complete stop when Katara's furious lips were obstructed by Aang's mouth.

Perhaps she hadn't realized how close he was getting. Her anger had gotten the best of her yet again (not surprisingly, to say the least). Katara's eyes grew wide, almost to the extent where her pupils rested in the middle of her irises. But she felt herself forcefully shut them, and focus instead on Aang's lips, right on top of hers, and his hands, which had made their way into her tear-stained cheeks, and her own face, which she was sure had visibly ran crimson.

She felt every cell in her body tense and then relax, as if having Aang so close was something that had required physical activity. She couldn't help but feel his scent penetrate her senses. It was something unlike anything she had ever experienced. It was something that was draining her...probably more than healing Toph had.

It was rash of her to do so, maybe even a little crazy...but when she felt him start to break away, she pulled herself forward, grabbed his collar impetuously, and returned the kiss, even more fiercely than she had intended. She was angry at him for always making her feel this way...so confused, so angry, so jealous...so lovesick. He had always been the base of her problems, the base of her requests, the base of her desires. And she hated him for it. So now, the healer forced her head to slant sideways as she wrapped herself around his neck, suppressing her lips madly into his, feeling both tongues brush thirstily beneath the surface.

When she heard something from inside of one of the healing chambers crash, almost as if something had been thrown, she awakened from her ferocious and violent trance, ashamed now at herself for saying what she had said earlier, finally realizing that her actions had consequences. She was excited and surprised that he had kissed her, and more so that she had kissed him...but if only he had let her finish! If only he had heard what she had wanted him to hear. _Aang, you don't seem to realize how much I...how much I love you. _

Regardless, she pulled away from his embrace nervously, noticing that the airbender's face was just about as flushed as she imagined hers was, and that (because she couldn't help it and for reasons unknown to her) a modest smile had risen to her breathless face.

* * *

Sokka made his way to Toph's chamber for the second time—again without permission—and decided that he would tell Toph of their plans, and see if she was doing any better. 

The hallway he had memorized was darkening, but Sokka had already finished all of the packing he needed to get to, and quite frankly he felt he owned it to Toph to go see her. After all, he never apologized for slipping her bandages off.

_That's it,_ he decided mentally. _If Katara asks, I was only in there to apologize._

He rapped on the door softly with the base of his knuckles, holding his breath and hoping that this was the right door.

Toph's voice seeped from within. Sokka couldn't help but notice how..._young_ it sounded. How different. "Sokka?"

"Yeah, it's me," Sokka answered, slowly cracking the door open. He was surprised that she had been able to tell; he remembered that the girl was resting on an elevated cot, and that this whole Healing Center was crafted of ice and wood and very little metal.

Sokka heard faint shuffling from within, and then an exasperated breath. "Oh," she replied in a startled whisper. "Well...come in."

The older boy did as he was told, slowly and gently opening the door and closing it behind him. Toph sat up in her cot, boxes of unfinished dates surrounding her bed and a dirtied tray on the sink. He couldn't help but feel cluttered and, for some reason, nervous.

"Hey there, Toph," he greeted warmly, sitting right next to the cot. "What's up? How are you feeling?"

The girl was silent for a moment, fiddling with her blanket. "You aren't allowed to be in here, are you?" she asked. Toph crossed her arms, a frown spreading right under the bandages. "If Katara shows up, she's going to yell at both of us—_again_! I don't know about you, but I'm not looking forward to that."

"Well hey, I only came in here to apologize," Sokka retorted angrily, wondering why both Toph and Katara had been on his case recently. "And Katara's busy with her scrolls now, anyway. She won't bother us."

Toph felt her cheeks redden at his choice of words. "Whatever," she breathed. "Apologize for what?"

"For...you know," he began awkwardly. "For...coming in and—"

"Wait!" Toph demanded, gripping the rail that graced only one side of the cot. "So you actually did come in?"

"Uh...yeah," Sokka replied, feeling even more regret than before. "I thought you already knew."

Toph sat silently, contemplating. "Hmm," she said curiously. "I was sure I was only dreaming."

"I guess you weren't," Sokka finished. "Although Katara said that you heard me talk or something, which I didn't. So maybe only that was a dream."

"Or maybe Katara's losing her mind," Toph added, smiling when she heard Sokka chuckle. "You were apologizing," she reminded.

"Right," the boy said, straightening. "I really am sorry. I mean, Katara's all upset about the delayed plans but I know for a fact that this is affecting you more, with your eyes and whatnot...so, uh...I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," Toph chimed merrily, fingering her bandages.

Sokka raised a hand to say something. "Uh...Toph? I don't think you're supposed to—"

"Would you relax?" she pleaded, her index finger spreading down her nose. "You don't want to be as big of a nag as Katara, do you?"

"Well, I—"

"My nose itches," the earthbender informed shamelessly. "Katara won't let me touch anything. And technically, this is supposed to be my alone time."

"Right."

"Exactly."

"Who bought you all of those sugared dates?" Sokka inquired, happy to change the subject. "Looks like they spent a good sum for boxes that fancy."

"Aang did," Toph said, moving her attention from her nose to her feet. "I couldn't finish them, and Katara didn't take any with her. If you want, you can have them."

"With pleasure!" Sokka exclaimed as he fished the dark fruits from the packages. "Why the heck would Aang buy _you_ sugared—" He paused, his face reddening. "Oh...sorry, Toph...that didn't really come out right...I just would...well, you know, expect Aang to buy..."

"To buy Katara something," she finished, moving to the next foot. Sokka turned his face when he realized that his stare had rested on Toph's bare shoulders and neck for too long. He briefly wondered why in the world she was wearing a strapless shirt at the North Pole.

"Sort of, yeah," he said with a mouthful of dates.

Toph was quiet. She blinked a few times underneath her bandages, and then she jumped. Her face ran completely red, eyes open wide even though they were still blocked by that annoying cloth. Her mouth hung agape visibly, and she stared in front of her, placing both hands on the wall right next to her cot.

"Toph?" Sokka asked, surprised at her outburst. "Is something—"

"Shh!" she ordered wildly, slapping one of her fingers to his lips. "Shut up!" Toph crept her left ear to the wall, a small, knowing smile gracing her face.

After a minute or so, Sokka rustled uncomfortably on the floor, adjusting his legs. "What is it?" he whispered, swallowing the lump of dates and saliva in his mouth. "Is Katara coming or something?"

Toph turned to face him, recognizing the dark form in front of her as Sokka. "No, actually," she responded shyly, her face pink. "I don't think she's going to be coming in for a while, to be honest."

"And why is that?" the older boy asked uninterestedly. "Did she just exclaim something about the scrolls delaying the plans even more?"

"Hmm," Toph answered. "It sounded like it was about the scrolls."

"What was it?"

When Sokka saw Toph visibly blush for the second time since her outburst, he stood up, his thoughts getting the best of him. "Toph," he demanded. "What was it? What did you hear?"

The earthbender feared that Sokka was going to go outside and stop what she had heard. She reacted solely on impulse. "Nothing, Sokka! Wait!" Toph sat up even more. And then, relying on what she could see only, reached for the dark form in front of her and pulled it down on the cot.

Sokka yelped when Toph's childish hand made contact with the base of his spine, right above his hindquarters. His face red, he turned to the girl that was now in fairly close proximity to him. "What was that!" he exclaimed madly, rubbing his hindquarters. "You just grabbed my—"

"Sorry!" Toph retorted stormily before he could finish, also sporting pink on her cheeks. "I thought I was grabbing your arm. You should have told me you were going to turn around like that! I couldn't see."

The resting chamber fell to an uncomfortable silence. Sokka felt Toph move her legs closer to her and away from him before he turned his attention to the dates again. Without warning, he started laughing.

"What?" Toph asked bitterly, heat igniting in her stomach. The memory of what she had done accidentally and just moments ago plagued her more than any embarrassing thing she had ever done. "You barged in here just to laugh at me?"

"Oh no, it's not that at all," Sokka stated between fits. "It's just that...this is a horrible situation!"

"You're crazier than your sister is," the mortified girl answered. "Who _laughs _at a horrible situation?"

Sokka wiped his eyes. "Toph, don't you get it?" He shook his head. His whole body filled her feet and hands with vibrations. "Our plans are being delayed, Aang randomly bought you some dates, Katara's going crazy, and you just grabbed my—well, my—"

"I did not!" The earthbender proclaimed, feeling her blood flow quicken and remembering the feel of his clothes in her hand. "It was an accident, Sokka. Agh! You are such a child!"

The warrior calmed himself, noticing that Toph didn't find the situation funny at all and that she was growing fairly annoyed at him. He stood off of the cot, his hand on his neck, before he turned to her.

"Sorry," he stammered. "But you have to kind of see that this is sort of funny...even if it doesn't seem like it right now."

"Whatever," the earthbender stated blankly, although she could hear the smile in his voice.

"I can see you're feeling better," he added. "I mean...you were able to stand up and...uh—that's definitely an improvement."

When Toph didn't answer, Sokka instantly regretting laughing, even if he wasn't exactly laughing _at_ her, but _with _her. He just didn't understand. Before the healing session, Toph hadn't minded poking fun at her blindness. She even did it herself on occasion, but now it seemed as if he had seriously offended her new ability to see, even if it was through bandages.

"I'm sorry, Toph," he repeated, his face once again flushing. "I didn't mean to..."

"It's fine! Goodness, Sokka! Just...leave, okay? I need to...I have to rest." Toph crossed her arms and slumped further into her comforters, her back to Sokka.

Sokka turned and reached for the door, somewhat disappointed that Katara hadn't crashed in and interrupted the silences. Before he left, though, he sighed heavily and looked over his shoulder. He blinked and left when he saw that Toph was still facing the wall, probably wishing that all of the bad things in the world would happen to him.

In the hallway, he felt the scrunched fabric right over his rear end. Absentmindedly his face warmed when he remembered how Toph had grabbed him and thrown him on the cot aggressively. He couldn't help but wonder what she had thought right after it had happened, or why she had prevented him from leaving after she had mentioned something about Katara.

Sokka noticed that the Bei Fong's scroll had been tossed in the middle of the hallway. He picked it up as he made his way back to their luggage, with intentions to read it as soon as he found some light.

* * *

**A/N: **Remember to review, everyone. This chapter was difficult to write (that's why you all had to wait this long...I apologize!). Your comments are always appreciated. 


	6. Six

**Eyes Are Windows to the Soul**

**Author's Note:** If there's one thing I hate about this website, it's that people forget what has happened in previous chapters.

_Previously, in "Eyes Are Windows to the Soul"..._

Aang realizes he needs Katara's help more than ever to deal with the fact that he has destroyed Ozai, but not his children, who are plotting against him and Iroh. Katara, after feeling drained from the whole healing session with Toph, keeps many of her emotions bottled up but then explodes—resulting in a passionate yet impulsive kiss with Aang, the romantic interest she has been denying herself for more than three years. The gang has received three scrolls from GaoLing, the Southern Water Tribe, and the Fire Nation. Sokka has yet to read any, while Katara has read them all. Aang knows about the four Air Nomads mentioned in the Fire Nation scroll and is thinking about what to do, while Toph and Sokka still have no idea what is happening with Gran Gran. Zuko and Azula, meanwhile, are plotting with the Vacant Shadow to overthrow Iroh and Avatar Aang's regime. And of course, in the last chapter, Toph accidentally grabbed Sokka's rear. Not that that's important, or anything—it's just way too fun to write!

Toph still has one layer of bandages on (the bandages are a very dark and potent color, allowing Toph to see shadows and outlines, but nothing more). Sokka came in to her room earlier and removed the layer completely, and was then greeted with magnificent greenish blue eyes that seemed to glow. Later, Toph reported hearing Sokka's thoughts and seeing him in front of her. Who knows what happened? Will this resurface later?

Sorry for the long recap, everyone. But hopefully that will remind you of what's going on so far.

Many thanks to those of you who are alerting/favoriting/reviewing this. And, as always, as I tell you every chapter, remember to _review_!

-ScorpioRed112

* * *

There was no question: what was happening was wrong, and it needed to stop. Zuko couldn't sit quietly and watch as Iroh was assassinated—even if it hadn't happened yet and meant getting a throne and kingdom back in his name. In fact, no matter what Azula said, this man was still his uncle and still a blood relative. And for the most part, he had been Zuko's father figure since the time the boy was banished to the time he came back home.

"You're being foolish, brother," Azula would coo logically, filling his head with lies. "There is no reason for you to feel remorse. Iroh"—she never referred to him as Uncle Iroh—"is a liar and a thief, and he helped the Avatar kill our father. Is this really the man you want to end up helping?"

For some reason, he would nod as if she was reciting a simple fact, and then get back to their plans, which involved some fifty thousand Dai Lei agents, more than twenty thousand Fire Nation soldiers, about four thousand firebenders, and three perfectly set traps.

What Zuko didn't understand was why _he_ was needed for what Azula was coming up with. For one thing, he knew that she hated him dearly. For another, Mai wasn't exactly Azula's best friend, and having Zuko around only made Mai happier, which in turn would make Azula miserable. After Ty Lee's death, though, the prince figured that this was Azula's way of keeping her friends close and her enemies closer. Her complex mind and the frigid and mechanical way she worked made Zuko want to vomit some times. He couldn't help but realize that over the course of weeks and months and years, he had grown to hate her and Mai almost equally.

This didn't mean that he and Mai weren't still a couple. In fact, Mai had grown quite intimate with the boy over the course of three years. Most of it started when Ty Lee died, as Mai was constantly hanging from Zuko's neck in remorse and sorrow. He found himself unable to deal with her for the most part, because she wouldn't let him breathe or move or do anything. "Stay with me, Zuko, please!" she would exclaim madly, holding him as if he too were destined to die a young death. "Don't ever leave me!" It always sounded like a threat.

But really, she was all Zuko had left. He still believed his mother to be dead regardless of what Azula had told him, and he knew that there was no way Iroh was going to take him back. So when Mai kissed him or held him or disrobed him or did anything, he found himself just falling into it and accepting the actions as the norm, mostly because he had no other choice, and partly because his hormones hadn't exactly been quiet for the time being.

"You think they've received them yet?" Azula had asked Mai just hours ago. Night had fallen at their bunker in the catacombs of old Ba Sing Sei. Zuko imagined morning gracing the skies above the Fire Nation on the other side of the world.

"Maybe. Whatever," Mai had answered flatly, giving Azula a stare that could make water boil. "Who cares? Really."

"I'll tell you who cares: this whole mission, that's who." Zuko noticed how grammatically incorrect his sister was. He smiled shortly when she stopped and thought about what she had said. "I care," she corrected evenly, holding her head up high.

"Whatever," Mai had answered. "Look, I'm going to bed." She turned to face him, her air mischievous and heady. "Won't you come with me, Zuzu?"

"Oh dear _God_!" Azula had screeched, pushing her palms into her amber eyes. "_Please_ flirt around with my brother some place else! Preferably where I can't _hear_ you!" Her fingers had slid open, revealing angry, almost jealous eyes. "You two lovebirds make me _sick_! There isn't a thing I detest more in this world than impetuous fools _making love_!" She turned and left, still venting as if she was a freshly roasted dumpling waiting to be eaten.

"I'm going to go outside," he answered Mai in a fixed, hostile tone. "Don't follow me." He knew that eventually, though, she would. She always did. He liked to tell himself that he wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

Katara was still holding him, wrapped around Aang's shoulders, and staring at his chest modestly, when she heard a door close. She turned her face in every direction to avoid his stare, and was eager to change the subject. 

"That...sounds like it's coming...from Toph's room," she said nervously, smoothing the cloth over his shoulders and trying hard to control her volume. She looked around the chamber: everywhere, every corner, every nook, but not at him. Any where but him.

What had happened was still a blur to the waterbender, although it was apparent that what she had done hadn't exactly been an accident, nor would it leave her memory any time soon. She remembered arguing about...what had it been, now? Their plans? The scrolls?

The healer blinked into Aang's chest again. "What scrolls?" she whispered, so quietly that even Aang didn't hear her. She found herself wishing dearly that she could turn back time and remember.

"Toph can wait, Katara," the Avatar replied just as nervously. She had never seen his face so bright nor flushed. But then again, she couldn't remember a time when they had stood this close, or done anything as passionately or as turbulently as what they had done seconds ago.

"Aang..." she whispered hoarsely, still avoiding his eyes. "I...I have to—we...need to..." How she wanted to release him! Why couldn't she let him go? Was it the feeling of his body so close to her own? Or how easily her arms rested about his shoulders? Or the fact that this was something she had feared but dreamed about endlessly for what had felt like a thousand eternities? Or the joy of just being alone with him in a room for so long?

She closed her eyes furiously, wondering what else there was left to do.

Instead of breaking away from him as she felt she should, she grasped him even tighter and burrowed her head into the flex of his neck and chest, tossing him without intention right on the cushioned chair she had sat in earlier. And then, even though she had just kissed a terribly handsome boy who also happened to be the Avatar, she started crying.

Aang, first at loss for words, straightened himself. Carefully, he lifted a hand and reached for Katara's flowing chocolate-brown hair. He stroked it down as calmly as he thought possible, although his heart was doing flips within his chest and his fingers were dancing without his consent.

"It's going to be okay," he soothed, not sure of what else to promise. He prayed that he hadn't done something wrong. "I won't go to the Fire Nation if you don't want me to, Katara...alright?" Aang adjusted himself so that he could see one side of his companion's face. He was horrified to find that tears had already accumulated quite nicely along her eyelids and cheeks, and that her expression had already twisted into a mixture of pain and confusion. Katara must have felt his stare, because she tunneled herself into his clothes even more, clenching his collar, and sniffled loudly and with intention to direct his attention elsewhere.

"Don't cry anymore," he begged, his voice cracking. "Your Gran Gran's going to be okay, Katara. She's healthy, remember? We just visited her months ago, and she was fine." He frowned when the short, exasperated sobs continued. "Please don't cry anymore," he repeated. Aang paused briefly as he pulled Katara's face up to meet his gaze. "Tell me what's wrong," he ordered gently. "We can fix it, Katara. Together."

Their eyes encountered for the first since their lips met. The Avatar held his breath when he saw Katara's raw, yellowed eyes: they had lost almost all of their bluish, ocean-like hue and had taken on a mixture of damp gray and white. Everything about the young bender seemed paled and dried out, as if someone had left the girl out in the sun for too long and forgotten to take her back inside.

Katara had stopped crying; and even though that's all Aang wanted in the first place, he couldn't help but let his face warm when he felt how close she was, and how—even though the fit was over—she was still holding on to his collar and resting on his chest as if she belonged there.

"That...that's just it," she whispered to him, their eyes still holding firmly. "I'm...I'm furious, Aang, and I—I seriously don't know why." Her voice entranced him more than anything he had experienced, as if he had never heard it before. She looked away before nestling into his chest again. "I have a feeling that some thing's wrong...or that...something _went_ wrong."

Aang swallowed the lump that had accumulated in his throat. "With Toph, you mean?"

He felt Katara nod: an uneven but recognizable bounce right over his shirt. "There's Toph; there are other things."

"Every thing's okay—"

"No," the healer interrupted, moving hair away from her face. "Aang, I know I did something wrong. There's no use in you telling me otherwise."

"Well...what did you do?" he asked, surprised at how quickly Katara's helpless aura had changed. "It sounds to me like Toph's doing fine."

"She is," Katara informed quickly. Aang felt her slipping from away from their embrace. "She's okay. It's not her health I'm worried about. It's...it's about something else altogether."

The Avatar blinked, unsure of what he could say to possibly make Katara feel better or a little less guilty, or what he could do to make her kiss him like that again. "I'm sure it's not that bad," he comforted weakly. "You're a great healer, Katara...the best in the North Pole. I think Toph will be fine." Regret pummeled his heart to his gut when Katara rose off of him, her pale eyes down and her face flushed.

"I...I did something wrong," she murmured softly, rubbing her eyes. "And I feel like...like I—I don't know, like we're all being...watched or something."

She saw Aang stand from the corner of her downcast gaze. "Those letters were just so conveniently timed," Katara continued, more to herself than the airbender. "And Aang...there's something else." The healer looked at him hard, her face emotionless. "It's Toph—I'm pretty sure that she can...that I gave her the ability to—"

Her words came to a complete stop when she felt Aang's fingers press against her shoulder. She looked up at him, wondering how on earth he could remain so level-headed with so many plots to overthrow his regime. When he hugged her, she didn't push him away.

"Katara," he started, his voice echoing in the empty chamber. His hands hung closely around her back, and absentmindedly she pushed herself closer to him, seeking a comfort that she knew he couldn't possibly give: simple peace of mind.

It wasn't that she didn't love him: no, it wasn't that at all. She had loved him since the day they had met, and it had elevated into something beyond that along the way. But she couldn't possibly hold him down. Imagine that! A powerful Avatar married to some dinky peasant from the lowest part of the world. How on earth would that be explainable?

She knew that he had feelings for her. She would often feel him following her around when they were younger, his stare strong and reckless and intoxicating. And she couldn't exactly deny all of the nights she had awaken to waterbend and instead spent hours looking at his resting body, filling the mold of a man from the makes of a child. She admired him dearly, so his touch now did not surprise her, and she told herself flatly that she was not going to refuse him this time, as she had done so many years ago.

Aang's hands moved up to her chin, forcing her fluid, almost translucent eyes to meet his again. With lips inches apart, he moved nearer still, until he could feel the waterbender's uneven breaths on his face. "We aren't being watched," the Avatar promised courageously, brushing his lips over hers for the second time that day.

"Watched!" a shrill voice cried from the doorway. "Oh yes, you are being watched, Aang! Hands off of my sister!"

With the GaoLing scroll still in his fist, Sokka marched up to the horrified couple, who had flung themselves apart abruptly. The older boy jammed a finger in Aang's chest. "What's the big idea, Avatar?" he asked him furiously. "What's gong on? I leave you two alone in here for a few minutes and come back to find—"

"No, wait!" Aang stammered impotently, moving Sokka's finger away. "Katara and I were just—just...it—well, we weren't—"

"That's why Toph didn't want me in here earlier," the warrior reasoned with a mischievous grin. "I'm glad I came down anyway! And as for you—" He turned to the healer, pointing accusingly with the GaoLing scroll. "What was that, Katara? You mind explaining why you and Aang were all over each other?"

"You were spying!" the red faced girl accused, embarrassment and disbelief pounding into her cheeks. "You had no right! And what do you mean Toph didn't want you in here earlier?" Katara sighed before grabbing the scroll aggressively from her brother, remembering that she had dropped it in the hallway to Toph's resting chamber. "Why do you have this, anyway?"

"I found it," Sokka reasoned. "Don't change the subject, Katara! While I was busting my back packing our stuff, you and Aang were in here—"

"You went into Toph's room," Katara chimed teasingly, smiling just as wildly as Sokka had when he had found them.

"What were you doing in there?" Aang added, still rosy-cheeked but thankful for Katara's quick wit.

The healer crossed her arms in satisfaction. "Not that I'm surprised or anything. To be honest, Sokka, I was kind of expecting this."

"What?" her brother screeched. "Hey, I was only in there to apologize!" Impulsively he took the scroll back.

"Relax. It's alright," Katara said weakly, turning her face. Aang and Sokka looked at each other. "Toph's bandages come off today when we reach Chief Arnook's palace."

Her gaze rested on Aang. He smiled at her, wishing dearly that Sokka hadn't barged in without the slightest bit of warning. "Every thing's going to be okay," Katara finished, remembering Aang's promise and looking to her brother. She reached for the remaining scrolls that had been tossed randomly about the room. "You need to read these. We need to figure out what we're going to do next."

* * *

Arnook's palace was magnificent, unlike anything Sokka or Katara could imagine. 

The pillars that Katara and Pakku had once battled around had risen twice their size. Awing orbs of ice and glass had been placed around the inner walls of the palace, reflecting the sunlight and making everything seem a little brighter than it had originally.

Toph had refused to wear shoes, because she preferred to remain barefoot no matter what Katara told her about pneumonia and frostbite. But still, after hearing about pneumonia and frostbite, she decided she wasn't going to walk there, and so she gladly hung around Sokka's shoulders when it was time to go.

Arnook greeted the young heroes with everything, even if they were only staying one night. A full banquet of food for dinner was promised once they had settled into the available guest rooms. Katara and Aang anticipated the waterbending prodigies who had promised to perform for them. Sokka awaited the booming feast that would come later. Toph couldn't wait to take the damn bandages off.

The guest rooms were marvels in themselves: large, spacious, and unnaturally shaped, each looked as if it was a tremendous snow globe, crafted with doors and windows and Water Tribe emblems. The only problem, if such could be considered, was that the Tribal leaders were used to being in close contact with one another, and the rooms showed this prominently. Everything that happened in each of the rooms could be heard from the hallway as well as the other chambers, not to mention that Arnook was only willing to part with two of the suites. This meant Katara and Toph in one and Sokka and Aang in the other. Somehow, based on what had happened earlier, Katara wasn't sure that it was the best arrangement.

"Now?" Toph asked loudly from one of the two beds after she and Katara had settled. "Please say now, Katara, come on! Look, I'm not squinting anymore, see?" She pointed to her face. Katara guessed that her eyes were wide open underneath.

"In a second," Katara answered, smiling. "I just want to cover up these windows so that you aren't overwhelmed." She grabbed the three comforters from the beds and threw them over the windows. Bright, short-winded hums erupted from the waterbender's throat as she moved around the room melodically.

"Someone sounds happy," Toph regarded just as merrily. "All this time I thought you were going to keep me under these things forever. And here you are, Katara, singing as if you've been waiting for this just as long as I have."

"Huh?" Katara paused suddenly, one of the blankets falling out of her grasp. "I'm sorry," she started awkwardly, laughing. Her voice was inattentive when she continued. "I didn't even realize I was humming..."

"Now?" Toph inquired eagerly, her hand already fingering the delicate barrier between her and the world. "Sokka! Aang! Get in here!"

Within seconds, the Avatar and his friend had arrived. Katara opened the door for them, her heart bouncing up and down with excitement and nervousness and emotions fairly unfamiliar to her.

The healer pursed her lips together and swallowed. She moved to Toph slowly and sat in front of her, as Aang and Sokka sat on either side. "Now, Toph," Katara whispered softly. "Would you like me to—"

But before she could finish, Toph had already ripped the bandages from their place sharply, revealing a band of paled skin underneath. Her eyes were closed, however, and so the breath that all three friends had been suppressing remained caught in their lungs. Katara saw Toph's chest rise slowly, a flap of air making its way into her body and then out. With a final sigh, her eyes fluttered open.

Awe and shock forced the chamber into complete silence.

* * *

**A/N: **Wow, I'm so evil... That cliffy made me want to cry, too. Don't worry, the next chapter is already pouring out of my fingertips! 

Oh yeah...if the recap at the beginning helped any of you, please let me know, because then I'll start adding them like every other five chapters or so.

Don't forget to review (it is directly proportional to my update speed!)


	7. Seven

**Eyes Are Windows to the Soul**

**A.N: **Well, I'm becoming a bit of a psycho. I know this is late and you'll have to forgive me (Mid-Terms are coming up and I am very far from prepared. Between studying, writing for the school newspaper, sleeping, and becoming a psycho, I've lost myself.)

Thanks to all of my reviewers! All of your comments make me smile, although I would like to see something a bit more detailed than "wow great chapter update soon!1!one!" Not calling anyone out. Reviews make me feel happy. Longer reviews give me the most wondrous sensation in the world.

There are things in this chapter that are going to change A LOT in the next chapter, but that's a plot twist that I'm not willing to spoil yet.

-ScorpioRed112

* * *

**Seven**

To say her eyes were beautiful would be an understatement unworthy of description. Toph's face seemed to glow with an unnatural pride, a soft luminescence that Katara had never noticed before. Everything about the girl that had once seemed rough, boyish, or unfinished suddenly looked perfectly placed, as if Toph's face had been waiting for this transformation all along.

Katara's mouth had flung open to an unladylike extent, her jaw hovering loosely above her chin. Sokka and Aang may have seen beauty or daintiness, but in Toph's new eyes, Katara saw nothing but herself. The earthbender's majestic orbs were the color of the ocean: blue and deep and concealing undertones that Katara so definitely recognized as her own. Above this fine azure shade were sparks of gold—as if the sun were shining on these endless blue pools! And of course, not surprisingly, just a traceable amount of green could be spotted by the waterbender, an obvious part of Toph's Earth Kingdom background.

Nothing that the friends noticed—how close Toph's new eyes looked like Katara's, or how suddenly she seemed like a fragile little girl—could compare to what Toph saw herself. Living a life in vague, subtle darkness and suddenly awakening to a bright, ice crafted chamber and three friends all wearing colorful clothing made Toph blink repeatedly and breathe as if she had been denied breath for hours. No matter what, she couldn't make sense of the shapes she saw in front of her, the way they were moving and the way the pictures were coming and going as she blinked. Everything was white—blank and overshadowing and so looming and ominous that it hurt.

Color, something she had only experienced once in her life, seemed to surge from every corner in front of her. She turned her face, but to no avail. The colors remained and grew brighter and brighter still as her new eyes adjusted, the ends of the shapes growing even more definite. Toph sighed angrily and moved her bangs away from her eyes. She stared straight into the forms in front of her, her eyes tearful and wide and full of shock and worry.

"Toph, are you okay?" Katara finally managed to stutter after willing her jaw to snap shut. Aang and Sokka were speechless.

"It's bright!" the younger girl whined, her pitch high and frightened—unlike anything the three companions had ever heard. The earthbender pulled her hands up to her eyes, a gesture that she noticed was fairly new to her. The brightness receded behind her small palms as she forced her eyes to squeeze so tight that she felt moisture fasten at the ends of her eyelids.

"What should we do, Katara?" Aang whispered helplessly.

"Do something!" Sokka pleaded with his sister, his voice tense. He watched as Toph buried her face underneath the furry blankets.

Katara looked around her nervously, feeling her palms grow clammy and something bubble up to her throat. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. Toph's retinas should have healed by now, and this pain should have been repressed. Quickly and anxiously, the waterbender moved to Toph's side, her heart pounding against her ribcage. "I—I don't know!" she exclaimed to the boys, already out of breath. "Just—just calm down—Oh! I...I—Toph? Toph, if it hurts, don't open them any more, okay?"

"No, really?" Toph responded sarcastically. Even with such an aggressive tone the girl sounded pained and frightened. Katara drew her breath.

"Keep them closed," she demanded. "Aang, go get my water skin. Sokka, find some towels." The two young men scattered out of the globular room.

"You aren't planning on touching them, are you?" Toph asked from her fetal position. The earthbender's voice hardened when she continued, her breath unbelievably short. "Katara, if you lay _one_ more finger on me, you'll regret it. No more healing!"

The waterbender stood, dumbfounded and utterly surprised. When Aang and Sokka returned with what she had asked them to bring, she raised a hand to stop them. "Wait," she stated flatly. "What do you mean, Toph? I'm just trying to help you—"

"Ha!" the patient exclaimed, sitting up. "Help? You call _this_ helping?" Toph pointed to her eyes, which had indeed given off tears in the past couple of seconds but remained shut. "I _thought_ you were supposed to be helping me, Katara! I thought you were a great healer! Why can't you fix what those old ladies did to my eyes?" Toph curled her lips tightly. "They must have done something wrong! Why can't you fix it, Katara?"

The healer bit her lip and looked away, feeling her eyes tear up almost as much as Toph's had. Whether or not Toph could detect her racing heartbeat remained a mystery.

Toph tried in vain to open her eyelids, but when she did, the horrid new experience of color charged into her occipital lobe again, and this time she pushed herself back on the wall next to the bed. Everything was coming in so brightly and so fast—there was no way she could decipher whatever was in front of her. The only emotions she could conjure were fear and pain: it hurt to open her eyes and when she did, everything looked distorted and alive and furious.

"It's so bright," the girl added in a defeated tone.

"Toph," Katara started, trying very hard to settle her nerves. She reached for her water skin. "If you'd just let me...if I could maybe—"

"Forget it!" the earthbender cried, shoving herself underneath the comforters. "Don't touch me! Just—just leave! Leave the blankets over the windows and go." The group heard a sniffle emerge from the lump of cloth. "All of you."

No further discussion was needed. Katara, feeling every ounce of guilt that had before possessed her, took Aang and Sokka by their wrists and walked outside, her head heavy and low and full of morbid thoughts.

* * *

Calming the healer proved to no avail, and neither were the numerous suggestions that she received upon leaving her patient. 

"We have to go back," Sokka said desperately. "We need to, Katara. I know when Toph's hurt and she is! If you don't help her, who is going to?"

"You should sneak in when she's asleep, Katara," Aang remarked thoughtfully. "That way you can heal her without her knowing. The pain will go away and she won't know you touched her eyes."

"I'm going back," Sokka informed when no one paid attention to his input. "I don't care what you say, but I know as sure as anything that she isn't going to heal by herself. She needs help."

"You can't!" his sister exclaimed, grabbing his shoulder so aggressively that it shocked him. "You can't go in there, Sokka. She's not...I mean you...you might..."

"I'm not going to tell her you took the blindness away," Sokka calmed in a low tone. He shoved his sister's hand off of his shoulder and turned away from the teary eyed girl, unsure of what he was going to do to help Toph but completely sure he was going in anyway, regardless of both Toph and Katara's restrictions.

As Sokka made his way to the chamber down the hall, the healer watched him almost mechanically. He turned the corner a ways off—and then she fell, full force and unintentionally—to her knees.

"Katara!" Aang shouted, dropping to her side. He pulled her paled complexion towards him, aware of the tears that stained her cheeks. Katara had always been stubborn and hotheaded—but she was also sensitive. Her emotional outbreaks had always hindered her health, and they always managed to scare him. "God! What happened? Katara? Can you hear me?"

The girl blinked repetitively in his arms, her irises a sickly blanch blue color. She was awake and well, for nothing too out of the norm had stricken her. She sat up and looked at the young man beside her, drawing a thin breath between her teeth.

"What was that?" the Avatar inquired, feeling his face flush as Katara grasped him to stand up.

"Nothing!" the girl replied simply after straightening herself. She casually brushed herself free of the light film of snowflakes that covered her knees. "Everything just...went black for a second." When she saw his face contort, she smiled weakly. "But I'm fine. "

"It'll be okay," the boy assured her, handing her the water skin that had separated itself from her after the fit. "Toph's just new to this, that's all."

Katara stared ahead of her, unsure what she could possibly add at this point to refute him. She blinked nervously and turned her face. "I know," she stated plainly as she shakily took the water skin. They began walking to the chamber that had been assigned to Sokka and Aang, mindful of the intricate decorations that dotted the palace hallway. Silence fell into effect, and Katara couldn't help but blurt, "Did you—did you see her eyes, Aang?"

Her companion nodded as they entered the globe-shaped room and sat on the two beds. "They were amazing," he commented, hoping to lift Katara's mood by complimenting her work. "I would have never guessed they would look so much like...like—"

"Like mine," Katara finished, playing with the hem of her robe. She drew closer to Aang and sat facing him, each on separate beds but intently watching one another. Then she jumped abruptly and sat next to the boy, found his shoulder, and placed her lips inches away from his ear.

The Avatar—completely aware of his friend's new location—felt his stomach tighten.

"You need to keep a secret for me, Aang," Katara demanded in a whisper. "You can't tell Sokka, okay?" She paused and made a face, considering her choice of words. "Or Toph. Sokka or Toph."

The boy nodded unevenly—he lived for moments when Katara would trust him so much—and turned so that he faced her. "Of course," he answered coolly. "What is it?"

Katara sucked in her lip and wiped her brows rapidly, blinks once again gracing her eyes. The world spun when she spoke—when she did anything, for that matter—and so she grasped his hand firmly and looked at him. "Aang, I seriously don't know what happened with the healing session," she started, her tone wavering. "But I think...I think I've blinded myself, Aang. I really think that's what happened." And, without giving her friend another second to think, she pulled her lower eyelid down and showed him the whites and complete irises of her eyes.

No doubt, they looked scary, and Aang had known this before she showed him. But they also looked paled and gray—cream colored but also dead, as if something had been brushed over them. The scene made Aang gasp inaudibly, and he very carefully moved away from the horrid sight without offending the waterbender.

Silence occupied the minimal space between them as darkness began falling outside. The Avatar must have not heard right—blinding herself? How in the world was that even possible? Sure, she looked different, but blind as well? He furrowed his brow and turned to face the floor, aware of Katara's close proximity and her trembling hand in his.

"It's not like I intended for it," Katara continued, suddenly self conscious at Aang's silence. "There was nothing I could do, Aang...you have to understand that. At...at first I thought—I don't know, that I was tired or something—and that's why things were getting fuzzy when I looked at them. But now I'm not so sure it's fatigue. It has to be something else, Aang. It has to be this."

Her words were once again met with silence, and so this time she focused on his face intently: a mixture of trust and nobleness and also one of confusion. She pushed herself closer to him still, not leaving his hand alone, and hoping intently that Sokka would not interrupt them again.

"What do you think? You think I'm going crazy, don't you?" she asked, a subtle but noticeable blush making its way to her face. "I can see it in your eyes, Aang. You think I've gone mad."

"No, it's not that," her companion said with a meek grin. "I just can't believe it, Katara, that's all." He smoothed his thumbs over his knees in thought. "I can't believe it," he repeated. "There's no way you can be going blind, Katara."

The girl spat him a spiteful look and then turned her face. She hated it when Aang refused to believe her. "It's not like I'm totally blind, you know," she explained calmly. "It's just that nothing is as clear or definite as it used to be. Like...like—" she stood abruptly, forcing him to do the same. "You see the windowsill? I can see that fine. But, look! Everything outside of the window is a blur—whites...some blues...there's gray, I guess." Katara sighed in her usual frustrated manner. "It didn't used to be this way, Aang. I've...I've changed."

The airbender followed her gaze out the window. Indeed, countless igloos and fountains were underneath, and he could distinguish between them just fine. Other colors also existed: reds from the base of the sky, and greens from stubborn shrubbery, and even some purple from citizens and their coats.

"I'm sure it's just temporary," he coaxed evenly.

"Well, explain Toph's eye color, then!" Katara retorted, growing quite impatient. "That's _me_, Aang. Those eyes look _exactly_ like mine did before the session."

"There was some green, too," Aang answered in recollection. "And some little golden speckles. But...I don't know, maybe the blue will go away?"

"And how do you know that?" she asked him somberly.

"Well, Katara, it's impossible to say that Toph _took_ your eyes, even if it does seem like that's what happened." Aang paused when he saw Katara's eyes narrow to slits. He grimaced before an idea struck him. "You know, when lemurs are born, all of their eyes are blue, but then they settle to different colors later on." He smiled warmly at his clever explanation. "Maybe that's what's happening with Toph."

The waterbender sighed and removed her hands from his grasps, deciding instead to cross them at her chest. She shook her head disapprovingly. "If that's what happened with Toph," she said, obviously unconvinced, "explain what happened—no, what _is_ happening—to me."

The command spun around Aang's mind for a while. He considered this seriously, and pondered with all of his capable brain power what _was_ happening to Katara. After but a moment of silence he turned to her, his smile bright and wide, and took her hands in his again. "You're just going crazy," he explained logically. "Have you forgotten what you did, Katara? You _healed_ blindness—"

"Shh!" Katara ordered crossly, looking at the wall opposite them. "Lower your voice! Toph's in the next room!"

"Right—sorry. Listen." He drew a breath, his tone dropping both in volume and octave. "You did something no one's ever done before, Katara. It's amazing! Do you expect yourself to be perfectly okay after something this huge?"

Katara's downcast gaze found its way to his face. "Well, no but—"

"Listen," he ordered again. "You're full of worry and strife and guilt, Katara. I can tell. You don't see yourself, but I do. You were walking around the Healing Center all the time like a worried mother! Katara, I felt so bad for you." Aang laughed at his friend's condition and shook his head at the memory. He made a mental note that Katara was capable of becoming an exceptional mother some day.

"What are you saying?" she asked through clenched teeth, tightening her grip on his fingers.

Suddenly the Avatar bolted from his spot and jumped behind the waterbender, one of his hands firmly around her shoulder since both had stood, the other cupping her ear to his mouth. "I'm saying," he whispered just as eerily as she had done to him before, "that what's happening to you is perfectly normal, and that you're worrying too much."

"And what about Toph?" Katara pulled away from him and found her previous spot on the bed, sitting with both knees drawn to her chin. The kiss they had shared just hours ago was still fresh in her memory, and she preferred not to think about how close Aang had been to her now just seconds ago. He may prove to be a passionate lover, yes, but he was also a major distraction, and distractions were the furthest things from her mind. "She's not well, and her retinas haven't healed."

"They will with time."

"No," Katara returned hotly. "You can't promise that. Her parents think she's healed already, Aang! They think she can read and everything. And you know what else? Toph still thinks that those old ladies healed her!" The girl sighed aggressively and placed her head on the pillows at the tip of the cot, resting on her side. "She can't appreciate what I've done and she won't let me help her either. And what is she going to do when she finds out that I'm the one that took the blindness away and caused all of this? How is she going to respond to that?"

Aang didn't answer. He simply sat near the base of the furniture and nodded understandingly. Katara had been on these rants before—many times, in fact. She didn't need answers from him, just someone to listen to her while Toph was whining and Sokka complaining and the world crumbling at her feet.

"This was supposed to be the greatest day in her life...and I've messed it up for her. How stupid am I, Aang? What's wrong with me?" Katara undid her braid mechanically and smoothed her hair out, earning a longing but repressed stare from the Avatar. "How did I actually think that _I_ could heal blindness? Ha! And it's as if she's healed. You saw her face, Aang...the way she looked at me! I'll never forget it! It was like she could see right into my mind or something. And then you asked me why I nearly fainted...that's why, Aang. Toph is going to find out I healed her and she's going to kill me and I'll never live it down.

"And you do know what else, don't you, Aang? I don't even know what she saw! I might have done something horrible to her. Who is going to explain _that_ little detail to her mom and dad when they see her? She has suitors, Aang! At age fifteen, Toph already has suitors from GaoLing waiting at her doorstep!" Aang easily noticed the jealous ring to Katara's unsteady voice. He continued nodding.

"Oh, curse it all, Aang! I've just about had enough of Toph and Sokka and—" Katara stopped herself short and caught her breath as she turned her gaze from the ceiling to him, and only then did she notice that she had been rambling. Crimson filled her face again, but this time she allowed the heat to explode into her cheeks and sat up.

"I'm sorry," she murmured softly to the young man sitting on the floor. She sighed slowly, moving her hand through her immensely lengthened hair. "I never mean to...to pull you into my problems, Aang...but some how I end up doing it anyway." She smiled at him as he sat next to her. "You're just...such an easy person to talk to."

Aang hadn't done much to deserve the tight embrace that followed, or the potent kiss that lingered on his cheek from the girl he admired most in the world. But he didn't question either, and returned Katara's hug just as he thought he should.

"Are you going to pull your hair back up?" he asked after both of them had broken away—their faces just about as red as the evening hues that illuminated the sky.

"What, it doesn't look good this way?" she teased, flashing a hand through her mass of locks and passing mischievous grin to Aang.

"No! Not at all!" he stammered uneasily. "It's looks—it looks—um...it's just—uh, well...it looks awesome—I just—" But how could he explain that he only wanted to see her put it up because he just liked seeing her hair move around? And how would she take it?

"I'm just messing with you," she giggled, saving him from an unnecessary explanation. "Goodness, Aang. And after...well, after what happened...uh..." Now it was the healer's turn to blush, and she did so easily. Her words trailed off and she busied herself with fixing her braid.

"After what?" the boy asked gingerly, grinning. "You mean the whole—"

"Yes, yes, that!" Katara returned quietly but clearly. "No need to have the whole building hear us, Aang. Your volume is unpredictable!"

"And let them hear us," the Avatar answered. "What are they going to do, Katara? Eat us because we—"

"Shh!" Katara had gently slapped a hand to his mouth, and he peered over her fingers to find a face so worried that it looked petrified. "I want to go check on Toph," she said simply. She stood and ventured towards the door. "Thanks for listening, Aang. You're such a great friend—a good listener—a complete dear! I'll see you in a second, Aang, really I will. Thank you, okay? Uh...thanks a lot."

When the door closed, Aang felt his eyes drift to the window and admire the colors and shapes and lights emerging from outside. He thought—as he almost always did—about Katara. And then, about Toph. And then, about himself. Aang, angry and confused, drifted to sleep without willing it to happen, and had dreams so vivid and mystifying that he wondered if he had transported himself to the Spirit World.

* * *

The pain would go away and come back, and when it did make it's fine return, Toph felt so weak and helpless that she cried out and teared up without her consent. The sensations that were attacking her were horrifying. They not only scared her but also made her feel drained and powerless. She couldn't see anything before, and now, she couldn't even open her eyes. 

Pressure weighed her down like nothing she had ever experienced. When she tried to pry her eyes open (as she was a stubborn girl), they would tear up. Color would explode into her brain again, and then she would close them. Blindness seemed merciful in retrospect!

She tied blankets around her head and lay on the bed motionless, feeling wetness grow under her tear ducts. There was little she could do—if anything—about her current state, but she knew in her gut that Katara would probably make it worse had she give her the chance.

_Water is dangerous,_ Toph thought blankly. _It hurts and it's strange and loose...there's no way I'll let her pour that stuff on my eyes again._

Perhaps she was being too defensive, but the pain was simply unbearable and new, and Toph had no way of dealing with it. She steadied her breathing, squeezed her closed eyes even tighter, and focused on the earth beneath the bed and around the walls. It was barely there—covered in ice and snow and glass—but she could still sense it. The earthbender tried to relax and calm her racing heartbeat, when suddenly she felt a presence at the door and heard voices coming from the walls behind her.

"This was supposed to be the greatest day of her life...and I've messed it up for her."

The voice was familiar, but muffled. It continued speaking things that the earthbender didn't exactly pick up on, and instantly Toph recognized the tone as Katara's (no other could sound as worried or as feminine). She guessed she was talking to Aang, since she would never be as talkative with her elder brother. The words continued, and Toph (now finding a new hobby and temporarily forgetting about the pain throbbing through her head) sat still and listened.


	8. Eight

**Eyes Are Windows to the Soul**

**Author's Note:** Very, very late...I know. I'm sorry. There is nothing I fear more than apologizing for something that was in fact my fault. But perhaps this fault is more of _yours_, of my dearest and nearest readers, who—many of you, at least—have disregarded reviewing completely, or have stopped reading. And then I must ask myself, have I let this story go, or has it just lost its appeal?

This chapter was written with the assumption that we are all technically big kids. And that Zuko was around 17 years old during Book Three of the series.

-ScorpioRed112, who doesn't own Avatar: the Last Airbender.

* * *

The Bei Fong scroll that Sokka had casually thrown in the pocket of his kimono hours before banged against his thigh when he walked. Recognizing the bulge as something other than his own, the boy paused briefly and fished the parchment out, remembering that he had never gotten a chance to read the message and that—perhaps because he did not know what to tell Toph or how he was possibly going to help her—he should read it now.

The scroll seemed to open on its own. Sokka's uninterested eyes scanned the paper hazily, noticing the Bei Fong's obvious concern for their daughter. It was when his eyes made contact with the word "suitors" that caused him to jump, slightly but absentmindedly, backwards.

"Suitors?" the warrior said aloud. He read the sentence over and over again, and his voice cracked when he repeated, "suitors?"

Sokka blinked twice, running a hand through his hair. Sure, the fact that the Bei Fong's expected Toph to be able to read was strange, but the fact that the girl should have suitors at such a young age struck the boy even harder than the first fact. He stood there numbly, in the middle of the finely crafted hallway, holding the scroll in one tightened fist and his "warrior's wolf tail" in the other.

There were many different ideas that bombarded him in the ten minutes or so he spent there, but almost all of them revolved around the more-than-friendly relationship he had held with Toph for the stretch of three years now. He couldn't deny it: Toph was his closest friend, and sometimes he found it easier to confide things in her that he could not confide in Katara or Aang. In a way, she had become his sense of self-worth and his dearest possession, a little girl who was perhaps growing up too fast. A little girl who had a special place in his heart.

Sokka breathed audibly after he had read the scroll for the fifth time and shoved it back in his kimono. He couldn't help but notice how the words of the message were strung...forcefully, as if this was something she needed to do. Something he needed to decide on sooner than later—something he couldn't stop nor prevent.

* * *

Katara entered Toph's chamber without knocking. In the diminishing light, she saw the earthbender sitting erect on the bed, eyes half open, one hand on her lap and the other on the rail of the wall next to her.

There was nothing odd about this. Before Katara could deny it, she had seen this position before: the blank, absent stare of a blind person, looking over something that was insignificant or unworthy, not speaking but not completely out of the obvious either.

Toph turned her face to the intruder, eyes now shut. Her breath was heavy in the room; it stuffed Katara's ears with guilt and remorse, but also a sense of pride. "What is it?" the girl asked.

"Nothing," the healer replied, taking a step forward and forcing a smile. "I just...thought I should come see you...that's all."

Toph returned her attention to the window opposite the bed. "Oh."

"I'm really sorry, Toph," Katara started again, rubbing her arm and not quite sure of what she was apologizing for. "I mean I thought I—I could _see_ you, in here...alone." She paused, fiddling with the hem of her robe. "I mean, I know I was with Aang but for a second I thought I was...it was...really weird. Unnatural, almost."

"Fascinating," the younger girl mused, perhaps hearing Katara's rambling, perhaps not.

"Listen," the healer tried, feeling a bit like an idiot for coming in unannounced and for no reason. "I want you to know that I really do want to help you. Toph? Can you...I mean I..." Katara trailed off and bit her tongue. "Even though it may seem like—"

"Save it. You don't need to explain," Toph interrupted with a début sigh. "I can see now," she added defiantly. "I can see everything." And, as if to prove this point even further, the earthbender stood up and walked to the horrified healer, her eyes wide and unblinking. She pulled her lids down with her forefingers, revealing full, settled green orbs, and smiled. In an instant, Toph's pupils had searched Katara's entire stature.

In between, there was a short and abbreviated pause—somewhat uncomfortable but not too abnormal, either. Toph released her lids and crossed her arms, and Katara stood, astonished and amazed, in front of her. For a second, neither moved—even the room held its breath, even the air outside. The waterbender noticed how different Toph looked in that pause...so alive, but so new to this new world...so fragile.

"Your skin is the color of the ground outside, Katara," Toph finally exclaimed aloud, her smile both startled but wide. "My skin is the color of snow."

* * *

Aang's dreams—like many dreams—never made much sense. But in the small amount of time that he had spent in the room alone, he had experienced a universe extremely unfamiliar to him.

Most of his imaginings, he admitted numerous times, revolved around a certain object of affection, which in almost every case was Katara. Some of them revolved around Gyatso. More recently, they had begun to take hold of Toph. But, in whatever world he was in at that specific moment, everything shattered with the sound of a voice.

"That's it, that's it!" Sokka cried noisily. "Aang! Come out here! Open up!"

The Avatar, thoroughly shaken and now wide-awake, pulled the marble door open and stood in the doorway, wondering bleakly what had upset his older companion.

"We have to leave," the warrior announced boldly. "Now. We can't stay for the show or for dinner."

"What are you—"

"No, no—not another word!" Sokka managed, coming into the room. "_Now._" And with a loud thump and with an intention of packing, Sokka pulled out his sister's travel bag from underneath one of the beds.

"Hey, relax!" Aang finally responded, holding on to the rushing boy's elbow. "I'm not going anywhere until you explain this! What's wrong with you?"

Freeing his limb, Sokka sighed and walked to the window with a bowed posture. Regretfully, he pulled out the scroll he had read moments ago. "This," he whispered hoarsely. "This came in for Toph."

Aang looked at the rolled parchment. Without willing to, he noticed Sokka's hand prints on the sides of the scroll. He knew that Sokka almost always sweat buckets—especially when he was in uncomfortable situations or when he was hungry. It became obvious to Aang, by the fingerprints still on the paper, that he had been holding the scroll open for quite a bit of time. "Yeah, Katara told me about that," the younger boy recalled, wiping his eyes.

"Well, I don't know about you," Sokka mumbled after a moment's silence, "but I don't want to be the one holding Toph back from all of this...this...'fun.' Her parents want her back."

In the next room, Aang and Sokka heard Katara's frightened laughter, and a shrill, high exclamation of praise.

"So?" Aang asked innocently, disregarding the interruption but wondering briefly about it. "What's the big deal? We don't have to leave yet. The Bei Fongs can wait, you know."

"No, I think it's better this way," Sokka replied. His companion slung an arm around his shoulder, flashing a smile both broad and confused. In the years Aang had known Sokka, he had realized that only two things could depress the warrior in such a manner: the absence of food in time of need, or the disappearance of someone dear to him.

"Whatever you think is best," Aang sighed finally when Sokka didn't return his smile. Katara's nervous laugh exploded from the room next to them again. Aang couldn't help it—his attention had been thoroughly grabbed.

"Man!" the young bender exclaimed. "What do you think is going on over there?"

"Knowing my sister, nothing too enjoyable," Sokka replied, passing the scroll through his rough hands. "We should start packing."

"Hey, you never know," Aang laughed, ignoring anything Sokka had said that didn't have to do with Katara. With a grin as wide as the world, Aang nudged Sokka's side. "Let's go check on them! It'll cheer you up."

"I don't _need_ any cheering up," Sokka said furiously, finally losing patience. He placed the scroll in his pocket and crossed his arms. "What I _need_ is to leave! What I need is to—is to—"

Sokka had originally intended to explode, to let out everything about this new Toph that had been bothering him. But the warrior's eyes twitched and he stopped himself, mouth agape and cheeks reddened. "I'm going to go talk to Arnook and start packing our things. You can check on them yourself," he fused simply, and opened the door so aggressively that it swung backwards on its hinges, hitting the nightstand that had been poorly furnished behind it.

* * *

The nervous laughter, as well as the joyful expulsions, came from the guilty healer herself, who had swung her arms so tightly around Toph's shoulders that the younger girl could barely wiggle free.

"I'm so happy for you! I'm so happy for you!" Although, deep down, Katara silently asked herself why things were actually beginning to look up for them. For _her_.

"I know, I know! Relax!" Breaking away, Toph found her former spot on the bed and looked at Katara again, the smile never leaving her face. "Isn't this so weird though? I mean, they were hurting so much and then they just...stopped...and—" Toph opened both her palms for effect—"everything just...appeared."

"It doesn't matter!" Katara replied blissfully, sitting next to Toph and taking her hand. "Oh, I'm so happy for you!"

"I know, I know," Toph laughed. "You seem more excited about this than I am. To be honest...this almost feels like a dream."

Katara lost herself in Toph's eyes momentarily, the cool shades of green that lapsed around her once useless pupils, the way her brows pointed upward, not fixated or grudgingly set like Katara's were.

Her trance was broken by the sound of the door opening, and one of their male companions walking in. Both girls, this time, recognized the form as Aang.

"Hey guys—wow! Toph, your eyes!"

And then the occupation of the next few moments were taken by Aang's reaction, which was, in many ways, similar to Katara's.

"_That's_ your arrow?" Toph asked disappointingly, knocking the Avatar on the head. "What a rip off! All this time I imagined it to be so much...better."

"Wait a sec," the boy pleaded with a heavy tone. "What's wrong with my arrow?"

"Just scrawny," Toph replied coolly, without blinking. "Where's Sokka?"

At this, Aang searched Katara's face, and then, turning to Toph, he answered, "he wants to leave. He's getting our stuff ready."

"Why?" the earthbender asked.

"I don't know. Some crazy theory of his. But...I guess it doesn't matter. I mean, you know us. We've practically become nomads by this point! I don't mind putting this place behind us and traveling to Gao Ling for a bit." Aang paused and met Toph's brilliant eyes again. "Especially now. You know...now that you can see and everything."

"Wait," the healer interrupted, "What does Sokka want with Gao Ling?"

The Avatar shrugged. "I told you, I seriously don't know."

Toph, who had just recently finished studying every little fact about the airbender before her, turned to Katara. Her tone dropped, and her gaze, which had so hungrily looked at everything before, rested softly on her lap. "Doesn't he want to see me?"

_This is so funny,_ Katara thought fondly, studying the younger girl before answering. _I can imagine almost everything she's thinking..._ The waterbender guessed that, since Toph was new to the visualized world around her, this was normal. In many cases, gazes, stares, glares, and even flirtatious glances can give away thoughts easily—just as Toph's conserved, quiet gaze was talking to Katara right now. _She's so worried he doesn't care about her anymore._

"I'm sure he does," Katara replied evenly, placing a hand on her oblivious' friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, Toph. He'll come around later. It'll be a surprise for him!"

The earthbender smiled wildly, blinked a few times, and resumed studying Aang's composure. "What color are your eyes, Twinkle Toes?" she asked, quickly forgetting her former dilemma.

Aang turned to the walled mirror beside the bed, the same mirror that Toph had yet to visit. "To be honest," he said, "I was never really able to figure that out. Sometimes they're gray...sometimes they look almost brown. And even sometimes, they're green. A lot like yours, Toph," he decided. "Only...no where near as interesting."

Katara shot the airbender a surprised, quiet glance, and watched Toph's face, which spread into a small grin.

"Not that that's a bad thing," Aang continued nervously. "I mean...Toph, have you even seen your eyes yet? They look—they just look amazing! I've never seen eyes like that before." Katara looked away.

"Thanks," Toph murmured monotonously. The waterbender, obviously unsure of how else to respond to Aang's outburst, turned her face to the window, out of Toph and Aang's view, and instead watched the people below the palace move about, as small as insects scattered about a glass file, but somehow just as significant as planets or galaxies.

* * *

"We sent those damned scrolls weeks ago," Azula spat in her brother's face viciously. "What on earth could be taking so long? You did send them, didn't you? Look at me, Zuko! Did you or did you not send those scrolls?"

Zuko lazily rolled his eyes. "I sent them."

"And did you make sure that you specified certain destinations in the addresses you attached?"

"Yes."

"And did you print each of the messages on the paper that I asked you to?"

"Yeah."

"And were they sent with care to the North Pole, properly addressed, with the write messenger hawks?"

"Would you _please_ keep it down?" Mai pleaded from beside Zuko. "Azula, he's telling you he did everything right. You just have to wait. I mean, aren't they up there for their blind friend or something?"

"No one asked you to interfere!" the former princess cried. "I want _results_, and if nothing comes out of _this_ plan, I'm moving on to the next one!"

The room, hidden under the magnificent palaces of Ba Sing Sei, fell into a short, abbreviated silence.

"You were never this impatient when we took down this city years ago," Mai recalled hotly.

"And you were never this moody," Azula replied with just as much flare. "I don't know what's gotten into you. Ever since my father was defeated three years ago, you've been acting like a complete—a complete—"

"Don't you dare!" Mai finished, flushing. Usually, to see Azula at loss for words was a good thing—a prideful thing. Because, most of the time, Azula always knew what to say. But now Mai stood up and grasped Zuko's wrist.

"Put my brother down!" Azula ordered crossly. "Leave him be this instant! We are _planning_ something here!"

"You can't tell us all what to do," Mai returned uniformly. "And he's not just _your_ brother. He's my damned boyfriend, too!"

"To hell with you!" the princess screamed, her eyes flashing in deeper colors than they were accustomed to. "You've been acting like nothing but a damned whore recently!"

"I don't have to stand here and take this," Mai stated icily, and dragged the young man out of the room before a bigger argument could develop, leaving a steamed Azula in her wake.

There, in the stillness of the court outside, the two stopped before a stone bench, situated right before three flower beds and a fountain crafted to look like a bear. Zuko sat down and crossed his arms over his chest. Mai paced before him back and forth. Moonlight above them hovered hazily, dancing below a thin film of inky, stationary clouds. Even the air outside, which was admittedly cooler than the air inside their former chamber, made the atmosphere dark and brooding, but very far from romantic.

"Sit down," Zuko suggested weakly.

"No," came the reply.

"Come on," the prince coaxed. "You've gotten into fights with Azula before. It's no big deal. Why don't you come down and sit next to me?"

"You never tell her anything," Mai answered, standing still.

"Because I don't need to," the firebender responded. He picked a neighboring lily and turned it between his fingers. "You know as well as I do that she's crazy, and that I despise her. But what am I supposed to do? We're wanted criminals—all of us. We can't just leave."

"We should."

"Well, we can't!" Zuko's temper, a trait that he unfortunately shared with Azula, peered through his usually calm exterior. "I mean, what do you expect me to do, Mai? What? There is _nothing_ I _can _do! You think I _liked_ leaving the palace? Hell with that, I didn't even like _returning_ there! And I hate living with Azula now! But these things happen; life is just a bitch like that sometimes!"

The girl sat down, not by choice but by fatigue, and turned her face. After his outburst, he was the one standing. The lily, which Zuko had picked with the intention of giving to her, was crushed to a pulp beneath his knuckles.

"Even you hate me now," Mai stated, barely above a whisper.

"I didn't say that," Zuko replied, tossing the mess that had once been a lily behind him and picking a fresh one. With a deep breath, he presented it to her.

"Yes—yes you did! You all hate me." Mai refused the lily, and Zuko saw, only by the diminishing light, a trail of wetness down either cheek.

He admitted silently to himself that there was something wrong—Mai had to have been acting like this for a reason. There was nothing that upset her so much before, nothing that even mattered significantly (besides the death of her best friend) that could make her cry. In fact, she used to enjoy arguing with his sister. It was an unspoken rule that they just _had_ to argue with each other. But this...there was something wrong with this.

"Dear God..." Zuko sighed, sitting next to the young woman. "You know," he said, "we aren't little kids anymore. I don't think we ever were. It doesn't have to be this way."

Mai didn't answer.

"Just tell me what's going on with you!" Zuko implored. "You aren't acting like yourself!"

His words were met with the trickle of the bear fountain some way behind them. Mai wiped her cheek and, with effort that he clearly noticed, forced herself to meet his gaze.

"Zuko," she breathed gruffly, "I think I'm—I think I'm going to...to have a baby."

Her hubby, a confused, calm gentleman somewhat over the age of twenty years, opened his mouth to say something and then, in a fit unfamiliar to him, found himself laying flat on his back on the cobblestone courtyard, eyes closed, breath tight, hands in his hair, completely unaware that a single amorous night months ago could lead to unwanted fatherhood.


	9. Nine

Eyes Are Windows to the Soul 

**Author's Note:** Thank you to my reviewers! Comments are always appreciated. So here's a recap.

Katara, after realizing that her eye sight isn't quite was it used to be, hasn't gone completely blind, but knows that something has went wrong with the session. At the same time, Sokka is conflicted as to why Toph should have suitors now, and if she is planning on marrying any of them. The earthbender of the boy's affections is now fully capable of seeing (yay!), and does so freely. Still, there's something unnatural in the way she looks at everything (only because she was not raised in what I like to call, "the visual world"). Meanwhile, Mai has confided that she is indeed about four months pregnant with Zuko's child. Azula has no clue what's going on with the scrolls she sent, or with her brother and his girlfriend. Will our heroes fall into a trap? What will happen to Mai's child? Why am I asking you all of these questions? You are planning to review, aren't you?!

-ScorpioRed112

* * *

At first, with the sounds of the fountain behind them, and the sweet, calm smell of summer in the air, the news seemed like a dream. Pregnancy, to Zuko, did not exist. It was only part of a woman's world—something that would surely never happen to anyone he knew, nor anyone he cared about...especially not Mai.

But the fact was plain as it was simple, and, if Zuko knew his girlfriend like he thought he did, she wasn't joking. None of this, contrary to his belief, was a dream. He lifted his head from the ground and looked at the distressed girl before him.

"Please don't tell me you just fainted," she commanded quietly.

The firebender turned his face, only to meet the gaze of a stone bear statue, balancing another, smaller stone bear on its nose. "How on earth did this happen?" he asked crossly, as if the statue could recall that one night so many nights ago.

"What do you mean? You know very well how this happened!" Mai answered, thoroughly reddened.

"Well I know _how_ this happened," the boy started, standing up. "I mean...I know what we—I mean I'm not oblivious to the fact that I—I mean I know—"

Mai, with a defeated tone, stopped his undeveloped ramblings before they could expand. "Zuko, please," she begged faintly. "I know what we did. And not a day passes by that I haven't regretted it, nor hated myself for it, nor regretted everything that led up to it."

The garden fell into a soft, sudden stillness again, unaware that the two lovers were besides themselves with remorse and confusion.

"You've regretted it?" Zuko inquired, noticing that the courtyard held more bear accessories than he remembered.

"Well, of course!" Mai answered sharply, returning to her usually dreary tone. "I don't know what on earth I was thinking—what _we_ were thinking." And then, with some exertion, she pulled herself in front of the prince. Her manner grew small again, a childish, witty, saddened pitch that barely passed through her lips. "Why didn't you stop it?"

Her hubby didn't answer.

"I told you to stop," Mai recalled quietly, a slight tremor in her voice. "We didn't know what we were doing—and I knew it was going to end this way...so why didn't you stop it?"

Zuko sighed and turned his face. To be honest with her, he couldn't recall why they had done what they had done, either. In fact, they had never talked about what had happened that night, nearly four months ago, in that frosty Ba Sing Sei chamber. "I'm sorry," he murmured simply. "But, if I remember, I was only trying to help—"

"What?" she exclaimed, pointing to her slightly bulging stomach and finally losing patience with him. "You call this helping?"

"No, no I don't—I'm just saying that it started out as—"

"Oh, _please_ don't give me some excuse," she whimpered helplessly, drawing her knees to her chest. "_You _were the one so broken up about your uncle taking power and leaving you. You came in for me!" Zuko scowled at her. "You forgot, you always forget. It was your fault in the first place, Zuko, not mine."

"I'm not the one whose going to have this child," the firebender replied lamely. "Calm down, Mai."

"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be having it either," the woman stated hotly. "And for the record, whether you like it or not, it _was_ your fault. I'm not going crazy, Zuko, I remember. And I'll always remember what you did, just because your uncle left you." She paused, contemplating, and thinking briefly, like Zuko, about the abundance of bears in the courtyard. "You're such a child. You're never going to grow up. Never! You'll always be your uncle's little, spoiled, misunderstood prince, and now I have to pay for it."

Zuko eyed her treacherously, wondering how she could deface him so much while he was sitting next to her. "You were the one crying day and night over Ty Lee," Zuko spat in return, his face crimson at the mention of his uncle. "Even though she died almost three years ago! You couldn't get over the fact that it was your fault she was—"

And Mai turned furiously to him, eyes full of all of the passion and anguish she possessed, before slapping the young prince hard on the cheek. Zuko's face barely turned—but he stood, staring as still as anything, past the violent girl's fuming expression. He clicked his neck into position and placed one of his hands over the offended side of his visage, right below his scar.

And even though everything he said was true in retrospect, Mai's tears fell freely. "_Never_," she hissed shrilly, eyes wide. "Never, never, _never_ mention _that_."

* * *

Sokka was going to get his way, as he usually did. Within a few hours, he had already told Arnook of the urgent scrolls that required their attention, and Arnook, with some difficulty, told the waterbenders that were scheduled to perform to go back to their training stations—the show was cancelled for tonight, and would not be rescheduled. As for the feast, Sokka requested that the food be wrapped and sent with them, as a snack for traveling, because—unlike a waterbending show—good food actually came in handy now and again. 

When the warrior told his sister of his plans to leave, she didn't seem to mind them at all. In fact, Katara just seemed in an extremely agreeable mood in general. She hugged him, told him that they'd do whatever he thought was best, and added with some excitement, "you have to go check on Toph. You really do—she's expecting you any minute now." And then, with a full and almost supernatural air, she joined Aang at the window overlooking the city, and gave the airbender a knowing glance that made him turn and look at her brother.

"Why should I go check on her?" he asked quietly. "I need to finish packing all of our stuff," he turned to them slowly. "Since no one ever _helps_ me!"

"Just hush up and go see Toph," Katara mused, waving him off. "Aang and I will finish all the packing."

"Of course. You two flirt all the time and I end up doing all the dirty work." Sokka added a good amount of muttering before he reached Toph's room. And then, even before he could knock or do anything of the sort, the door flew open, and Toph stood before him, in all of her petit and rough glory, eyeing him with the most spectacular green eyes he had ever regarded in his life.

At first, seeing Toph so open and so different before him was enough of a surprise. But it was what she did next that caught him off guard—the tight, unusual hug that wrapped him almost too closely to her body—and how it filled him with her scent! The aroma of wood, he always thought, wood and forest and sand, in their purest elements...it was the way they came together to form such an enchanting and natural smell that always, _always_ caught his attention. Even more than seeing Toph's eyes wide open, searching his body like there was no tomorrow.

"Toph!" he blurted with some hesitation. "You...you can see!"

"Tell me something I don't know," the girl replied, breaking away from him and sporting a fiery shade on her cheeks. "Why don't you come in?"

There were other changes Sokka immediately noticed, and now that they were in the room alone together, without further distraction, he studied her more closely. Her hair was pinned up with an ivory clip (something he guessed she borrowed from Katara), and only two thick strands of ebony hair wisped to either side of her face: making her eyes the biggest and most notable feature. And for once, much to Sokka's surprise, Toph was actually wearing the coat that Katara had given her as soon as they had came to the healing center weeks ago. Still, the girl remained barefoot, and this small detail instantly made Sokka smile.

"What?" she asked quickly, turning to face him. "What is it? Why are you smiling?"

The warrior bit his lip and turned his face. He had forgotten—Toph could see him now. All of the facial expressions and little quirks that he had taken for granted before returned to him. "Nothing," he answered hastily. "Um...just, you know...I was thinking of...uh...leaving."

"Leaving makes you happy?" Toph asked, not taking her eyes off of him.

"Well no, it's just that...you know, I guess we've just...stayed up here long enough, that's all. And I mean, it's not like the North Pole is a giddy little vacation or anything—look at all that snow! I mean, I guess you've already looked at it but...you get my point." Sokka was beginning to wonder if Toph had already seen everything. It was the way that she looked at him that seriously made him wonder about what she was thinking—they way here eyes blinked almost mechanically, only because they had to, and they way she smiled, in a small manner, but it seemed to mean so much.

"So," he started, "how do you like the visual world so far?"

"I was disappointed by Aang's arrow earlier," the earthbender informed lightheartedly, grinning.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," Toph answered, placing one of the pillows in her lap. "I always imagined it to be different."

"It is pretty scrawny," Sokka laughed, scratching his chin. "What did you imagine it to look like, anyway?"

Toph turned her face to the window and hugged the pillow closer to her chest. Sokka instantly realized that her answer wasn't immediate. "I don't know," she stated. "And besides, even if I told you...you'd think it stupid."

"Aw, come on! You know I wouldn't!"

"No, I think you would," Toph decided flatly, but then hastily added, "I mean, I don't really care _what_ you think anyway, Sokka, but I'm just saying."

"If you didn't care," the warrior tried with a clever smirk, "then you'd tell me."

The earthbender paused and shot him a silent glare. "Well," she began, "I always thought that it was bigger."

"That's all?"

"Bigger and better. And...not the color that it is."

"Blue?"

"Yeah, blue. It's too pale. It doesn't match his skin right." Toph held her hands out to explain. "Katara's eyes are the same blue color, see? But her skin is darker, so it matches. And it makes her look balanced. But Twinkle Toes isn't like that. And anyway..." The girl trailed off and continued staring out the window.

"Well, come on," Sokka prodded.

"And anyway...I always thought that he was...I don't know..._younger_."

"Aang's grown up from when we first met him," Sokka clarified plainly, thinking of the goofy airbender his sister had found years ago. "He's pushing 16. In a few years, he'll be at a decent marrying age."

Toph didn't answer. Her penetrating gaze rested on Sokka's face again, much to his discomfort.

"I heard you had suitors," the warrior murmured when the silence grew on her end of the conversation, and when she wouldn't blink. He hadn't meant to say it, but at the same time, he couldn't imagine keeping it locked in without discussing it with her first.

"So did I," she answered monotonously after clearing her throat.

"So are you...you know, excited?"

Sokka noticed her face go red, a deep shade that lit her cheeks and forehead, before she grasped the pillow in her lap furiously. "What the hell's a matter with you today?" she inquired noisily. "It's just another excuse my parents are using to get me home!" Toph threw said pillow away from her, and it landed with a quiet, muffled thump.

"Hey, sorry," Sokka replied nervously. "I didn't know."

"What?" the girl pressed. "Did you think I'd actually have suitors?"

"It's a distinct possibility."

"How's that?"

"You aren't blind anymore," Sokka noticed bluntly, counting his reasons over his gloved fingers. "You have the richest parents in your district. You're a master earthbender who trained and lived with the Avatar for almost three years now. You're the world's only metalbender!"

"Those are all just perks," Toph grunted with a bored sigh. "They mean nothing."

And then it was Sokka's turn to blush, and under the weight of her eyes, he did so freely, turning the pinkest shade he had yet to discover could grace his own face. Yet, in an effort to lift her mood and tell her what he really thought, he stood up. "Well...putting everything aside," the boy tried, crossing his arms. "You're really pretty, Toph. Drop dead beautiful. Crazy gorgeous, if you ask me."

* * *

On the walk to Appa's shelter, Katara didn't walk close to Aang, nor hold his hand, nor speak to him. She had recessed deeper into her own thoughts, contemplating what their moves would be next now that Toph was technically much better, and now that they were leaving the North Pole. 

Aang, even though he wanted to, didn't pressure Katara to converse with him. For a while, he also thought of what had occurred recently—Toph's new vision, the hasty kiss he and Katara had shared a day or so ago, and even the fact that they had left Sokka to visit the formerly blind girl. His mind spun with opinions and excitement and questions, but his train of thought stopped when they came upon the large, wooden shelter with the humungous beast inside.

Katara walked in first, and Aang followed behind her closely with some of their luggage. The warmth of the room, amazingly, overtook them—even their shivering stopped, and the brush of snowflakes that had accumulated on their hair and coats melted instantly.

"Why is it so warm in here?" the Avatar asked.

"They set up a fire for the animals," his companion answered briefly. "Help me get some of this stuff on Appa, will you?"

Aang picked up the four large bags (as well as the waterbender who was carrying them) and jumped on Appa's head before Katara could protest. In a matter of seconds, everything was strapped in and ready for the trip.

"I don't know why Sokka complains about this so much," the healer thought aloud. "It was easy."

"Well, he usually has to do it alone," Aang answered. "I guess we make a good team."

"I guess so."

There, on Appa's back, the shelter seemed smaller than how it looked like moments ago. Even the heat from the fire a few feet away curled in slowly on Appa's saddle and swirled in the ceiling over head, and without thinking, Aang took off his coat.

"This is great, isn't it?" the airbender asked joyously, putting his coat away. "Aren't you excited to be flying again? It'll be just like old times!"

Katara glanced at him anxiously, a deep aura of recollection gracing her tired eyes. And then, with a hurt tone, she replied, "you'll have to go to the Fire Nation alone, Aang. I have to stay with Toph until she sees her parents."

"Oh." Aang had truthfully forgotten their argument earlier. Sure, the kiss had stayed fresh in his memory, and the burning sensation of Katara so close to him would probably never fade, but the argument that had led up to said kiss had been stashed away in his mind for something of more importance. He had forgotten that Katara didn't want him to leave. "Listen," he said quietly. "I don't have to go the Fire Nation, you know."

Katara looked up at him from her spot, and with a clear sense of determination, shook her head. "No, you should go"—she smiled here, a quiet, personal smile, and turned away—"I can't keep you to myself forever, can I?"

Aang came and sat next to her. "I think you can," he insisted in a whisper. "You just need to say the word, Katara, and I'll never leave."

She couldn't count when exactly the tears came, but when they did, she avoided looking at him. To Aang, she would always be his protector, his guard, and his dearest friend...even if the thought of leaving him again was unbearable. But for some reason, she could never really—

"I want you to submit to me," the Avatar said suddenly as he turned Katara's tear-stained face in his palm.

The waterbender pulled his hand down and wiped her nose on her sleeve. "Aang—"

"I seriously want you to stop acting this strong," he explained to the shaken girl before him. "You're not a spirit, Katara. You're just one human being. But lately you've...it's like you've become something totally different. You're not letting yourself feel anything but guilt and hate—for yourself!"

Katara, who had yet to get a significant hold on herself, shed her coat and placed it behind her before letting loose of an exasperated sob.

"Please submit to me, for once," Aang pleaded heavily, holding his arms out. "You're not in this alone. You never were. And this may be our last night together, Katara."

He had used those lines once, before their attack of the Fire Nation had split underway. And she had believed him when he had said, "I might never see you again" and when he had insisted, "you're everything to me." But they had been so young then! So childish and impulsive...and surly his words had meant nothing. Surly he had only used them at the heat of the moment, with his blood boiling before going into battle, with a death wish to anyone who got in his way, with a supreme love of the person who had helped him get this far. He had left without hearing any confession from her

So when she _did_ cry in his arms that night, in the warmth of Appa's saddle in the animal shelters, she told herself that what had happened to her throughout the course of weeks now was not something small that she could handle on her own. And when he embraced her and dried her tears with his thumb, she wondered briefly if (as she had wondered many times before) there was ever the slightest hope of Aang loving her and only her, and not having to go anywhere else but wherever she went, and not having to share him with the entire world.

"It'll be okay, Katara," he kept repeating into her hair. "It'll be fine."

"I know," she muttered desperately, feeling like a child but at the same time basking in the glory of attention, especially _his_ attention. And without another thought she snuggled deeper into the clothes over his chest.

The Avatar, meanwhile, felt as though he could defeat the Fire Lord seven hundred times over if he had to—having Katara so close to him always had that aftermath—but, more than anything, he wondered deeply if she had ever held the intense adoration and affection for him as he held for her.

In the tranquility of the shelter, Aang arranged his legs under him and Katara sat up, blushing a deep shade and turning her face. Cackling from the fire was heard from underneath them, but other than that, silenced occupied the room, and nothing in the world—the sounds of squealing children outside, nor Appa's quiet grumbles—mattered.

"Are you feeling better?" Aang asked, drawing a bit closer.

"Yes, thank you," the healer muttered, slightly embarrassed. Only when she looked up did she realize that Aang had situated himself so closely, with an arm around her shoulder, and one of his hands in hers, and a smile as wide as the universe on his face. "Aang," she laughed, "what in the world are you doing?"

"What? Nothing!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Just sitting here."

"Is that what you're doing? Just sitting?"

"Well, this is _my_ bison," the Avatar reasoned slyly. "In fact, I should ask _you_ what _you're_ doing up here."

"Huh!" Katara crossed her arms and jutted her lower lip forward stubbornly. "Appa is just as much yours as he is mine! We've been riding on him for years!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Well, seeing as you _are_ up here," Aang began cleverly, "I suppose you'll have to pay a tax. You know, formalities. That sort of thing."

The waterbender laughed lightheartedly, slapping his shoulder. "I hope you accept Water Tribe money."

"That's the only kind of money I accept," Aang answered definitely. "And only from you."

"How much is it, Mr. Avatar?" Katara asked, pretending to reach into her pocket. "I'm afraid I'm broke." And so, based off of this reasoning and this reasoning only, she leaned in deviously, clasped the sides of his face gently, and pressed her lips to his in a soft, brief kiss, which caused their hearts to flutter dangerously behind their ribs. And perhaps, because the room was too warm, or because this was probably their last night together, or because they loved each other to an unbelievable extent, the rest of the evening was consumed by them, in Appa's saddle, with fits of kisses and only they know what else.

* * *

_AN: Bleh...hardest chapter yet to write! Very difficult for me, if you'll believe it...hope it came out alright to my alerters and reviewers. Until next chapter!_

_-Scorpiored112_


	10. Ten

Eyes are Windows to the Soul

A/N: Hello again readers!

Yes, this chapter is short, and it may seem as though you won't know what's going on. It's okay. You're supposed to feel this way—it's completely natural. This is the feeling for this chapter, patented and crafted by yours truly.

As always, if your reading this and not reviewing, you should totally start. And if you DID review and I didn't reply, please let me know so that I CAN reply—sometimes I skip a review or two by mistake, only to find the fault later.

Prepare for more deaths! D

-scorpiored112

* * *

His touch was always unsolvable and fresh, and when he kissed her, she swore that it was unlike anything she had ever experienced, yet not quite so new either. Yes, he was the only man she had ever let herself know, and he was the only being whom _she_ had purposely worried over. And the excitement of him, just the notion that he was in the same room, or the same place, had always set her senses array, and she wondered briefly, as they soared through the sky with Sokka and Toph, if there was ever a possibility of leaving him and starting over.

The healer sitting next to her formerly blind friend, contemplating the condition of her grandmother, knew that loving Aang was like loving a child, and always having questions like, "will he ever die because of me?" or "will he grow and leave me?" or even "will he ever be a capable lover?"

The situation she was in with him right now was complex. Yes, she loved him, and she was extremely sure that he loved her...but their relationship was strained with the bitter recollections of childhood, and even though she knew that Aang had indeed grown in past years, she couldn't help but feel that maybe a little time away from him would be best, to rekindle the passion that they had both felt before, when saving the world was their only concern.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," Katara muttered dreamily, as if to put these thoughts to rest. Toph, clutching Katara's arm with a little too much force, turned to the waterbender.

"This is amazing!" the girl screamed. "I can't believe I missed this before!"

"You were blind," Katara said dumbly, preoccupied with wistful imaginings.

"That's the seventh cloud we've passed!" Toph returned happily, leaning over the saddle and disregarding Katara's input completely. "I never thought I was _this_ close to these clouds before! Wow!"

Toph's imagination, similar to Katara's, drifted to a commonplace of its own, free of the Avatar's embrace, and filled with, instead, clouds. Hundreds and hundreds of clouds. Fear gripped the younger woman fiercely, and the fact that they were indeed very far from the ground forced Toph to grip Katara's arm tighter.

"Toph, you'll be fine!" Katara laughed, placing a hand on the girl's shivering shoulder. "Think about it this way: if we fall, Aang will swoop down and catch us again. There's nothing to be afraid of."

The earthbender stole a glance at Sokka and Aang, who rested sleepily on Appa's head and patrolled the night sky before them. She looked back again to Katara, and noticed immediately the dreamy gaze that erupted from the girl's tired complexion, and how she had muttered the word _Aang_, as if he was automatically supposed to save them had the unfortunate falling happen. And finally, without noticing anything else, Toph saw, by the light of the moon only, the way Katara's lips were poised: pouting, almost, but receding enough for her to be in thought, part of her lower lip trapped under her teeth, in a tired, lopsided smile.

"Hey there, Dream Queen," Toph called. "Twinkle Toes will only swoop down and catch us if we scream, and the way you're acting right now, you probably wouldn't even notice the fact that we've fallen!"

Katara shook her head and looked at the earthbender, eyelids heavy with fatigue and unfinished thoughts. "What?"

"My point exactly," Toph replied. "What on earth are you so concentrated on? Especially with all this...this..._sky_ to look at. This is—the most amazing thing I've ever seen!" The girl trailed off, taking in all of the night sky around her, before turning to her pensive friend again.

"I've seen this a million times," Katara responded evenly. "You'll grow tired of it, dear, trust me—"

"Dear?" Toph exclaimed, sticking out her tongue. "You've seriously lost it! Since when do you use pet names—with me?!"

Katara answered with an uneven sigh before turning her back to the earthbender and closing her eyes, off to a world of her own creation. For most of the night, she remained this way—unable to sleep—and at the same time, wondering deeply about what would happen after their separation, and if she and Aang were meant to be, or if it was simply wishful thinking.

* * *

Nothing remained of the trio in Ba Sing Sei. The prospering city no longer cared about the likes of Princess Azula nor her brother, and so no one noticed their coming and staying for three years, nor their leaving, which had taken place shortly after Zuko was acknowledged as a father.

They left minimal debris: an old kimono here, unfinished day-old rice, documents that no longer held significance, and dust. Most of all, dust, because Azula had been strict about "no one knowing we were ever here."

Their conditions had been brief. In the span of three short years, Zuko had grown from a fumbling prince to an adult worthy of recognition: stubble graced his chin, his eyes had grown narrow with renewed hatred and fear, and his hands—once soft with pampered pride—had developed into rough lumps of flesh—housing fingers that had stroked a broken girl, and that would one day cradle their child.

Mai, in turn, had also changed. Her current state proved much more feminine and attractive than before—her hair framed her pale features differently, and her eyes had a prodding, mystic air about them, as if she was constantly questioning the confusing world in which she lived in. She was, in a single word, soft. Soft because she had not done much in three years; soft because her hubby—even though he was not terribly romantic—did everything for her if she asked him too; soft because, now, she was filled with child, and did nothing to upset the being inside of her, who was, technically, heir to the Fire Nation throne.

The group had left the catacombs of Ba Sing Sei in a matter of minutes, erasing the three years they had spent there. And if Zuko was happy about anything concerning their leaving, it was that Azula had separated herself from him and Mai (without knowledge of a new nephew), just as their plans had called for.

"They'll be arriving any second," Mai notified, glancing at the sky. "They should be here soon."

"Don't worry about it," Zuko replied. "Why don't you sit down? You look tired."

Mai smiled and sat on the nearby bench, clutching her lower back, and looked up at the sky again.

"You need to stop worrying," her boyfriend calmed, taking a seat next to her.

There was a silence, and Mai cleared her throat. "I just don't understand why you didn't tell Azula, that's all," the girl started, playing with her fingers.

"I didn't think you'd want me to," Zuko answered shortly. Deep down, he knew he couldn't tell Azula of Mai's pregnancy—the reaction would be predictable, and he didn't want to deal with Azula's complaints about "spoiling their plans."

Mai looked down. "I'm afraid," she muttered quietly, unable to look at Zuko's face. "I'm afraid of everything."

Honestly, Mai didn't know what was happening. Giving birth didn't seem so bad in comparison to the second coup she was planning with Azula and Zuko. She was afraid everything would backfire, and that her and her unborn child would be killed. Or worse, separated.

Zuko didn't need to answer, but he did anyway. Boldly he placed a hand on Mai's shoulder and smiled at her—a nervous but reassuring smile—before stating defiantly, "I am too."

* * *

Sokka woke up too the loudest silence he had ever heard.

Toph usually muttered in her sleep (most of which consisted of threats), and Aang usually snored. Katara had a strange habit of waking up, stating something she needed to do ("I need to buy vegetables tomorrow! Yes, I really do!") and then falling quickly back to her slumber. Sokka, most of the time, was the heaviest sleeper alive.

But tonight, of all nights, everything was as still as a pond crafted of glass or marble. Nothing moved, nothing rustled, and nothing breathed.

It was when Sokka woke up completely in the middle of the night and looked around that he realized he was alone on the floor, with two empty sleeping bags beside him, and Toph laying on her side someway off, breathing hard, half of her body out of her sleeping bag and the other half tangled within.

At first, he didn't know what to do. For a very long time he sat up and just checked their surroundings for any indication that Katara and Aang were about. He waited for a full ten minutes to pass.

Nothing.

He shook Toph awake forcefully and looked at her. When her eyes fluttered open, he held his breath. They were even more breathtaking than before.

But with their current predicament, they didn't have any time for explanations or words of love. Toph stood up and, with her eyes closed, felt for any vibrations.

Then Sokka searched for Appa and Momo, who were also missing. He called their names. His voice rang out like a siren in the thickness of the forest, and birds flew out in all directions, but no flying lemur appeared and no Sky Bison bellowed at the noise.

He ran all over the forest in his underclothes, calling their names as loud as his voice allowed him too. Mostly, he called for Katara. Toph had sat down, eyes moist. "Where are they?" she kept murmuring. Sokka grunted angrily and continued screaming names.

But after an hour passed and no one answered him, he came upon two unlikely conclusions: the group had either been ambushed after falling asleep, or the two lovebirds had left to their destinations without him.

For the first time since his mother passed away so many years ago, Sokka sat down and allowed the tears to fall freely from his face.


	11. Eleven

**Eyes are windows to the Soul**

**Author's Note**: This story is getting to be longer than I had anticipated. Ah well. No skin off my keyboard.

I am sorry for the wait, but for the past couple of months I have been dying. I am sure we can all excuse dying as a legitimate reason for not updating. I am sure that dying qualifies me for at least a four week break.

This story is developing very quickly. Again, as a reminder, there are some "big kid" themes. Please do not sign off angry reviews saying things like "This and that should never happen!" One must, in the words of the great Bumi, "Open their mind to the possibilities"—this should happen specifically in the next chapter. I'm not one for graphical love scenes but assumed things and implied things and maybe even graphical love scenes may or may not occur.

_This fiction contains 49 percent drama, 11 percent romance, 12 percent hatred, 23 percent war, 4 percent graphical love scenes, and 1 percent morbid deaths, along with a negligible amount of hot gas, lies that get cleared up later, and carrot juice._

For the summary: Katara and Aang went missing. That's basically all you have to know. And that Toph can see now—but hopefully you all remembered that part.

**-Review. Review. Review. THIS IS A LONG CHAPTER SO YOU NEED TO REVIEW!** There is no plainer command than this!

Scorpiored112

* * *

It is very hard for two children to realize—quite awkwardly and in a series of strange events—that they are soon to parent smaller children. But Mai had put her initial fears of childbirth aside and Zuko had decided to forget about the fault of fatherhood—they were having this child, whether or not Azula knew about it, whether or not the invasion of the Fire Nation was under way.

Their ambush had worked. It was the first part of Azula's over-complex plan, but it had pulled through as affective. The element of surprise as well as anesthetics had made the capture of the Avatar as well as his waterbending friend almost too easy. Azula had taken the Avatar. Mai and Zuko were stuck with the peasant.

Mai, in turn, became consistently upset.

Zuko, she felt, was spending too much time observing the waterbender as she hung in her cell—arms and legs bound to the wall behind her—and also spending too much time obsessing. "She's going to wake up," he kept repeating to her. Many times, Mai would have to silence him with an impulsive, irritated kiss.

But Mai couldn't exactly _blame_ Zuko—the waterbender was feisty in her younger days, and still held the promise of strength. Zuko was probably recalling all of the times she had waterbended her way to safety.

Three years had done little to her—she had grown taller, Mai noticed, and her chest and hips had made her figure supple and unbelievably feminine. Her fingers are delicate, Zuko had thought when he had bound the drugged girl to the wall. More delicate than Mai's. The exotic nature of the newcomer had both parents thoroughly intrigued, and Mai couldn't help but feel guilty that such a beautiful creature was drugged and strapped to a cellar.

But her beauty quickly depleted with time. In about five hours after her capture, the healer work up—a hasty, full intake of air filled her lungs, and she thrashed her head about—obviously startled, but no where near afraid.

Not surprisingly, both Zuko and Mai were in front of the cell—quiet, observant. Mai bit her lip anxiously. They caught her eye through the bars.

At first the waterbender was at loss for words. But they came out almost before she could stop them. "Zuko," she murmured when she saw him. The effect of the drugs lifted somewhat, and her current condition came off to her as extremely shocking.

"Zuko? What is this? Let me out _now_!" she insisted. "Now! Right now! Get me out of here! I don't know who you think you are but you—agh!" She thrashed about again. The noise of metal against metal filled the cellar. "What is this? You can't do this! Let me out now!"

"We should have used more ginseng," Zuko muttered.

"You can't do this; you hear me? Aang will come—the Avatar will show you. Just you wait. Aang will be here any second. He'll blow this place to pieces—he'll blow both of you to pieces!"

Mai sighed audibly, rolling her eyes. "I wouldn't hold my breath."

Katara's eyes visibly widened. The shackles gracing her feet whipped around as she tried to throw them off. "Get me out of here so I can teach you both a lesson! Ginseng, huh? You cowards! You're nothing but scum—you're living trash! You don't scare me! Let me out! Let me out now!"

Zuko, who had been reclining against the cellar wall, stepped up to the barred door. He fumbled around for his keys and opened the passageway.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked loudly, with just a traceable amount of surprise in her voice.

Zuko walked up to her. She looked at his eyes. She had forgotten those eyes. They were terrifying now that he was so close.

She was expecting him to slap her, or to firebend, or to do anything of that bodily nature. Instead he leaned forward, in a perfectly tranquil state, and smiled sarcastically. "We're obviously very afraid of you, peasant," he hissed calmly. "I think I need to remind you that you're the one in chains, and I don't think we'll hesitate if you keep this noise up."

Katara spat at him. A warm trickle of saliva ran down his cheek. The healer's voice became ferocious. "Get the hell away from me!" she cried. "Where's Aang? What did you do to him?"

Zuko, in a fit of embarrassment, lost his patience. His fist flew in the air with an unnatural force. Katara gritted her teeth for impact. But just as he was about to bring his hand down, and perhaps burn the bender's shoulder in front of him, Mai had grabbed on to his arm and pulled him aside.

"This is useless," she mumbled. "Just leave her alone, Zuko. She can't waterbend anyway."

"She spat on me!" Zuko exclaimed crossly with a childish tone. "That's enough waterbending for me!"

"You walked into that," Mai reminded gently.

The prince looked to Mai, and then to their captive. He grunted decisively and left the cell, locking the barred door behind him. As the firebender left the cellar hallway and went upstairs, Mai stayed behind. Now that the girl was awake, she was going to prove to be much more of a hassle than before.

For a long time neither said anything. Katara, still trying to figure out the chains around her wrists and ankles, had somewhat forgotten the shard-throwing wallflower, and Mai had never really involved herself too much with the Avatar's group. That job, she felt, was reserved especially for her boyfriend and his maniacal sister.

But time wore on. Mai guessed Zuko was writing to Azula to tell her that everything on their end had been taken care of. Katara tried very hard to believe that Aang was just fine, and that anything Mai or Zuko had said about him was just a lie used to divert her attention.

Two hours passed. There were no windows, and Katara couldn't tell what time of the day it was. The only sources of light where dimly light torches. _Like the Healing Center_, Katara thought absentmindedly. This caused her also to wonder on the whereabouts of Toph.

The girls exchanged anxious, furious glances every now and again. Mai stared more often than the healer did, her face a blank board filled with confusion and strife. It hurt Katara to lift her head, so mostly, she looked on the ground, but this didn't mean that she didn't feel the persistent stare of her captor, the girl who had—just seconds ago—saved her from a bruise or a burn.

"Stop looking at me!" Katara screeched finally, temporarily forgetting Mai's act of kindness. "Stop it! It's so annoying! You're both so annoying!"

Mai continued staring. "You're pretty confident for someone in a prison," Mai sneered. "I wouldn't be too cocky if I was in your place."

"The only cock around here is your boyfriend," Katara returned in a harsh tone. "Let me out _now_!"

"Why on _earth_ would I do that?" Mai asked smoothly, playing with her fingernails. She felt that Katara was now a threat. "Such a silly request from the Avatar's mistress."

Katara tried, again in vain, to move her fingers. Her face flushed from exhaustion just as well as embarrassment. "As soon as I get out of here I'm going to teach you a lesson you'll never forget! You hear me? I'll tear you to pieces!"

Zuko's haphazard footsteps were proof that he had returned. The firebender showed Mai an opened scroll and glanced at a now silenced Katara before ascending back up the stairs soundlessly.

Mai was smiling in a fairly frightening way. Her lips quivered as she marched next to the bars. It was very hard to read her expression.

"You see this?" she asked Katara coldly, showing her the paper. "You can forget about everything. Your precious Avatar is dead."

* * *

Sokka and Toph's journey was to be completed on foot, much to Toph's displeasure. The Sokka she saw now wasn't the same Sokka she had grown to adore—it was a different, parental Sokka. As they trudged through the thick of the forest, she noticed he was subconsciously telling her what to do.

Every few minutes he would erupt with, "Don't step there!" or "Watch out for that branch!" or "Stay next to me!" or even "Why don't I hold the bags, instead?"

Sokka's theory of what had happened was different than Toph's. He speculated that Katara and Aang had run off together in the night, possibly because now that Toph's actual healing was somewhat finished, and because they had to deal with the stress of their dying grandmother—Katara wanted to get away from it all.

Toph had told him that theory was impossible, because Aang would be too afraid to do something as radical as this for Katara. Sokka claimed that he would do anything for her, and he began mentioning something along the lines of their relationship before he stopped, red-faced, and fairly anxious.

"What?" Toph asked, stopping alongside him.

"Nothing."

"No seriously, what is it?"

"Nothing, really," the warrior finished, fastening the strap of his bag. "It's stupid. Just forget it."

Toph had turned to face him, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. Suddenly Sokka looked like an awkward child, standing there blushing about a rambling of his own creation. Still, the earthbender was thoroughly quirked, and punched his shoulder lightly.

"Tell me!" she insisted.

Sokka shifted in his boots. "It was just something my dad used to tell me, that's all. He used to always say…that people—well, that people would do crazy things for love."

The words came as a surprise. "Oh," Toph stated dumbly, blinking. "I guess you warned me about it being stupid, huh?" She thought about the words, and in an instant she began laughing. Sokka joined in heartily, wondering just how strange it sounded.

"That's just what I mean though," he continued after their fit was over. "Aang and Katara—they…they love each other. A lot."

"Whatever," Toph sighed. "Let's just keep walking. I'm sure they'll turn up eventually."

The warrior's voice grew in volume. "Toph, just because you avoid a problem doesn't mean it goes away. They're out there somewhere with almost half of our stuff."

Finally, perhaps fed up with Sokka's rambling, Toph stopped in her tracks and spun in her heals. A determined flare lit in her eyes before she threw down the minimal amount of bags that she was carrying and marched up to him. "Did you ever once think, Snoozles, that Katara would have taken their sleeping bags _with_ them? Hm? Even if they only took one! They would have taken something! But no—Aang and Katara's clothes, sleeping bags, and food rations are still here. Tell me, if you were planning to run away with someone, wouldn't you plan it better first?"

Sokka shrugged. "I'm tellin' ya, people do crazy things for—"

"Well they may do crazy things but they're not completely insane!" Toph finished, picking up her bags again. "If I know your sister like I think I do, she wouldn't have just left her things here." She paused, contemplating. "We've been ambushed, and the first thing we should do is just visit my parents and get it over with, then start asking around."

They had continued walking. In the silence that followed, Sokka began thinking in ways that only Toph could conjure. He felt, deep down, that she was right, but he was afraid of admitting it to himself this deep into the game. After all, he thought, he would rather have Katara hanging around with Aang than being kept a prisoner of the Fire Nation, or any other enemy party.

The thought of his younger sister experiencing levels of love that were still somewhat unknown to him also scared the warrior to states beyond his comprehension. When the duo reached the Bei Fong estate about an hour later, Sokka was angry, confused, and deeply worried. It was Toph who rang the doorbell, and before a servant could even appear at the gates, Lao Bei Fong, Toph's father, was already at the door.

* * *

Katara had screamed.

It was high pitched and horrible, the type of scream that erupts from the throats of girls as they are taken over, consumed by the unfairness of the world, consumed by the horrid fate of their mothers, and their mother's mothers, attacked by rotten luck and bad timing. Katara screamed like she had never screamed before—screamed like the night her mother was taken away and killed in front of her. She screamed so loudly that she fainted, and fell into darkness that blindness itself was minimal against.

"I can't believe she's killed him," Zuko murmured in the upper chambers of the cellar. "He was still drugged."

"I believe anything that Azula does," Mai admitted, reading the scroll over and over again. "What's wrong?"

Zuko's face was searching the floor at an angle. His complexion seemed a bit paled, and his stare seemed more distant than normal. "I just can't believe it, that's all," he admitted after a short pause. "He was only 16 years old, and this doesn't exactly solve our problems. He's just going to be reborn into the Water Tribes."

"That was Azula's plan all along," Mai recalled. "By the time the Avatar _is_ old enough to fight, it'll be too late. The world will be at war again."

The scroll had been sent on an immediate basis. Zuko held the parchment in his hands. The words were written in such a distressful and aggravated way. Still, he had seen the loophole in the letter, and for a very short time he considered if the Avatar really was dead, or if Azula's wording had tricked him, Mai, and the unconscious waterbender a floor below them—and if Azula, in her twisted and demented way of living, could actually kill someone as influential, as powerful, or as young, as the Avatar.

_

* * *

The Bei Fong estate was simply madness. With the high archways, deeply intricate gardening, and detailed marble walls, Sokka wondered which he was more in awe of: this home or the ice palace at the North Pole._

Lao Bei Fong opened the entrance gate grandly and embraced his daughter, glancing suspiciously at Sokka before shaking his hand and turning his attention back on Toph.

"You've grown so much, my dear!" he exclaimed wildly as two guards flew over to take the luggage. "You're eyes! Oh—your eyes! Oh! How you've grown! Come, come inside, dearest! Hurry on now, your mother is in the dining hall."

On the way inside, Toph experienced her home like she had never experienced it before. Trees graced every corner of the two square acres of courtyard. Marble and gold spilled in every direction—red roses, poppies, pansies, and wild flowers blossomed in the entrance way. Hedges had been clipped to perfection, and little, decorative oriental bird feeders were scattered about. Toph had only seen so many birds before, and the large selection instantly caught her attention. Everything entered Toph's pupils at once, and she momentarily drowned herself in such beautiful and rich of a scenery.

Because of her state of awe and shock, she didn't notice her father's questions, or his ramblings about the renovations that had occurred over the three year period.

The fuss and the commotion immediately drew Poppy Bei Fong—Toph's mother—who ran out into the courtyard to greet her now teenaged daughter.

"Toph!" her mother repeated in a fit of hugs and kisses. "Oh Toph! We've missed you so! Look at this! Look at your eyes!" Poppy's eyes had, in the mean time, grown quite misty. She began sobbing.

"I've missed you too," Toph murmured slowly. Her mother looked fragile. Toph imagined her frame to be constantly wracked in fear and worry. At the same time, Poppy didn't look terribly old, and Toph (for the first time, perhaps) was glad that her parents had enough money to support themselves. "You don't have to cry, mom. Really, you don't."

Poppy, being the extravagant lady she was, wiped her eyes frantically. "Oh yes, I know, I know. It's just that this—this is such a pleasant surprise!"

Sokka and Toph looked at each other in astonishment.

"But Ma," Toph inquired slowly, brushing hair out of her face, "I thought you knew we were coming?"

"We knew you were in an extensive healing operation, dear," Poppy explained shortly, still looking into Toph's new eyes.

"We were very worried," agreed Lao.

"And you sent a scroll, right?" Sokka asked, feeling awkwardly out of place. "You sent a scroll talking about how Toph should come home and how she had suitors and everything." Toph blushed furiously at this.

Lao and Poppy exchanged confused glances. "We never sent anything like that," Lao affirmed. "The last time we sent a scroll with those unreliable messenger hawks, it was interceded at Fire Nation borders and sent back to us. And that was…what? About a year ago, I believe."

Sokka had rummaged into one of his bags and retrieved the fancy Gao Ling scroll. He rolled it open.

"Honestly!" shouted Lao, waving Sokka off. "Put that away, boy! We can worry about things like this later!"

"We haven't seen our daughter in such a long time," chimed Poppy. "This calls for a feast! Lao, get Lee and Chang working on dinner. Take…"

"Sokka," Sokka informed miserably.

"Take this young man Sokka with you," she finished merrily. "Toph, you can come with me, dear. Oh, good heavens, look at you! Look at the young woman you've become!"

Sokka and Toph parted ways anxiously. Toph was excited, but nervous, as Sokka could tell. And Sokka, as Toph could easily detect, was scared out of his wits.

Poppy's first order of business was to get Toph out of those "rags she called clothes." Measurements were made. Toph was fitted into a light jade colored evening gown. It was long, but also strapless, and after observing the mirror for a while Toph asked her mother if she could have a scarf to wrap around her shoulders.

The dress had been fashioned from silk and other artificial material that the Bei Fongs were testing for the ever-growing industries of Gao Ling. Small crystal roses speckled the dress from top to bottom in waves, which made Toph feel like a wine glass.

Her hair was also styled. It was so long that Poppy suggested they cut some of it, which they did. The effect came out to be black tendrils in an up-do, styled to frame Toph's majestic new eyes.

For the most part, Poppy talked. She was so happy, she said, that Toph could see now. It must be very exciting, Poppy guessed, to see everything at once. She was very, very, very happy that everything went alright, she repeated.

But in time Poppy grew curious and finally blurted, "Well, dear, I know it is quite taboo of me to ask but—well, I suppose I must know, being your mother and all."

"What is it, mom?"

Poppy shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she put the finishing touches on the masterpiece that was Toph. "It's that young man you were with—Sokko. I don't believe I've ever quite…heard of him. Who is he, dear?"

"Sokka."

"What?"

"Sokka. You said Sokko. His name's Sokka, and you met him before. He came around the first time the Avatar visited us."

Poppy wore a distressed, sour expression. She remembered bitterly how their daughter was "kidnapped" all those years ago. "Ah yes," Poppy fused lazily. "Is he your…um…"

"He's one of my closest friends," the earthbender answered, growing slightly irritated. "He's really nice. He's been watching out for me since we met."

Poppy disregarded this, as she felt it was unimportant. "Yes, dear. But I don't quite understand. What I mean to say…or well, what I mean to ask is—I'm afraid I have to know—is he your…"

"My what?" Toph asked finally. "My what, mom? Spit it out."

Poppy's complexion ran rigid. "Dear me, I won't do any 'spitting'—heavens, what the world has done to you!" Toph rolled her eyes as her mother continued. "All I'm asking is if he's the man that you've decided…to spend your life with. If he is your future husband. If you wish to ensue a romantically advanced relationship with him. This is all, dear."

The earthbender's eyes grew wide. She choked on the tea she had been offered before breaking out in a fit of confused, unprovoked giggles. "What would ever make you think _that_?" Toph asked, obviously surprised by her mother's question.

Poppy shrugged as she placed an ivory clip in Toph's hair, similar to the one Katara had given the younger girl about a week before. "You showed up with him, and he was carrying all of your bags," Poppy reasoned, giggling a bit on her own. "I'm so glad that I was over exaggerating myself. Dear me! He was just a caddy—thank heavens. I'm quite sure I would commit utter suicide if you were going to marry a low-class citizen such as him."

Toph instantly grew offended at this. "Hey, there's nothing wrong with Sokka," she explained bitterly. "And he's not a caddy, either. He's my best friend."

"Well yes, dear, of course he's you're best friend. Of course."

"Just because I'm not marrying him doesn't mean you get to make fun of him," Toph concluded in a low tone.

Her mother sighed audibly before looking at the finished product—her daughter, a full sixteen years. "I didn't mean anything by it, dear," the woman stated unconvincingly. "But you are a Bei Fong, and we can't have you marrying just any old fool who jumps out of the blue. Especially someone as dark and as torn as that Sokka person. He doesn't even look wise, and I'm quite sure he smelled of old socks. It would be impossible for you to hold a relationship—even a friendly one—inside these estate walls. I will forbid it, and I'm sure your father will feel the same. People talk, Toph, dear. We have a name and honor that we uphold. Our only daughter must only associate with cultivated young members of society that will ensue for the betterment of our country."

Toph was disgusted with her mother's sense of false pride as well as her obnoxiousness. She hadn't seen her mother in such a long time that she didn't know what to do—in this fit of resentment and uncertainty she didn't even know how to reply. "I need to use the restroom," she muttered instead, and flew out of the room quickly before her mother could protest.

As soon as she turned into the hallway, her face was met with Sokka's tanned neck. He was wearing a fancy black and green kimono that Toph guessed he must have gotten from Lao.

She looked up at him. Without saying anything she knew that he had heard her mother's ridiculous ramblings that were so abundant in cultivated society. He seemed, in a single word, hurt—as if someone had doused him with the truth of life all at once.

He turned to leave.

"Sokka—Sokka, wait—" Reaching out to him was simply instinctive. He jumped at the feel of her fingers on his shoulder, but he remained motionless.

"Sokka, I—"

He returned Toph's fingers to her gently, brushing them off in a fluid manner. It was then that Toph realized he held a small box in his left hand, wrapped in white and tan paper, and fashioned with a blue ribbon. He continued walking down the hall soundlessly before turning into a corner.

Toph pressed her forehead against the wall, wishing that somehow—just as it was possible for her blindness to be cured—the feeling rising in her chest could be cured. _I'm not in love,_ she had repeated to herself so many nights before, when this feeling would erupt within her chest. _I don't love Sokka. I'm not in love. He doesn't love me, and we are not a couple._ _And I do not love Sokka._

But her heart seemed to spring into her throat before she could utter these quietly to herself, and the effect was—instead—a muffled grunt of irritation, and a quiet admittance of "Damn everything!" followed by, "I'm in love with Sokka."


	12. Twelve

**Eyes Are Windows to the Soul**

**A/N:** I'm sorry it's taken so long, readers. Summer is actually more busy for me than the school year is.

In any case, here's a quick summary: Katara and Aang have been kidnapped, and Sokka and Toph—thinking that they've run away together—decide to go check on Toph's parents. There they find that neither Poppy nor Lao have written any scrolls to them. After Sokka overhears Poppy making fun of him and Toph as a couple, he leaves for the outer courts of their house.

Meanwhile, Zuko and Mai have told Katara that the Avatar was killed by Azula. The former princess has since then been sending scrolls to the pregnant couple as updates. Zuko and Mai are surprised to find what they do find next.

**In other news,** excuse the bad Tokka-ness in this chapter. I never know how to write Tokka for some reason—always comes out corny! But enjoy it regardless.

Mai is showing sympathies towards Katara.

REVIEW--REVIEW!!

* * *

At first Katara had screamed and thrashed about madly at the news. Aang could not be dead. He was the Avatar—the most powerful being in human flesh. He had fought the Fire Lord and won. For him to be dead—for him to be gone forever—was simply impossible.

But then truth sunk into Katara's flesh like a hot dagger, painfully making its way to her heart. Aang was still just a human. And as she knew, humans die.

This brought her thoughts to her grandmother, and Katara began another round of crying. The sobs came out in bountiful heaps, filling the empty chamber with noise and echoes until she couldn't take it anymore. She screamed in anguish again. Katara let her head hang in front of her and looked awkwardly at the floor.

Things had been going so well, and yet she had known—since the day she healed Toph's eyes—that they wouldn't last.

Mai's clunky steps made their way down to the cellar. _She has probably heard the crying,_ Katara thought bitterly,_ and wants to punish me for it._

Instead Mai looked at the blubbering girl with an odd sort of reprimand in her eyes.

"Go away," Katara screeched, quite unnecessarily.

"Do you want something to eat?"

"No." The sobs returned to the healer. Her voice trembled noticeably, shattering the sanctity of the cellar. "_Please,_ go away."

"You haven't eaten since you got here." Mai's voice was barely a whisper, a distressed sigh that escaped through parched lips. She opened Katara's cell. It was only now that the bender realized Mai had brought her a tray of bread, cheese, and tea.

Carefully the older girl undid the chains surrounding Katara's wrists and ankles. She slipped the key back into her silk sleeve and looked at her prisoner in full, her eye's twinkling with an obscure emotion, before she closed the cell door and looked at Katara through the bars.

_I can bend now,_ Katara thought. _She just gave me tea. I can get out of here if I really wanted to._

Aang's death reared its ugly head again, and instead of eating, Katara emptied her stomach of whatever was left inside of it. Mai watched the healer vomit and then slowly walked upstairs.

* * *

Toph had caught up with him. It was still a little past noon, and a good two hours before the feast. She wasn't a girl that sat down and thought of things. She had been that way before, perhaps, but—when it came to Sokka—she preferred being impulsive. Being allowed to shout and scream what she felt as soon as she felt it.

She found him near the courtyards, in the back beside the mango tree that never bloomed once. A rock garden had been prepared alongside the tree, as if to decorate the dying lump of wood and glorify it. Toph just now realized, by being able to look at it, that it was a sad attempt on her father's part.

She was tentative, and—frankly—afraid. _Damn my mother,_ the bender thought bitterly. _Women of her age have such big mouths!_

"Sokka?" He was not facing her, but somehow she knew that he knew she was there, and it eased her to see his back facing her: it was a calm, non-threatening sort of pose to take.

Yet he didn't answer.

"Sokka, please tell me you're not angry." Toph touched his shoulder. The muscles underneath the fabric tensed slightly, and for some reason the earthbender blushed at this, as if Sokka's muscle movements were some sort of intricate, intimate detail that should have been unknown to her.

He murmured something softly, not turning his face.

"What?"

"I don't care," the boy repeated, louder this time. "I'm not what's best for you." He hesitated, swallowing. "I mean—well, in terms of friendship—of course." He blushed, but it receded quickly.

She sat down next to him. Toph was learning every day how much she had missed by being blind. A new world was revealed to her—a world of lights, expressions, and shadows. Everyday she figured out that a simple move of the lips, of the eyes, or even of the nose could mean something different. But when she looked at Sokka's face now, she could detect nothing. His face sat as still as stone, hardened perhaps with fear of rejection, concentrating on the sad rocks that sat under a sadder tree.

The rush came from no where. Whatever possessed her to do what she did next, she will perhaps never know. A greater force was in control here, Toph thought, and whether her parents liked it or not, she had decided already that she was to act solely on impulse from now on in.

The words were loud and came out with a tremor. "Sokka—I really like you," the bender blurted.

The warrior looked at her, obviously surprised, before his stony expression melted into one of confusion and quiet happiness. "What—"

"Don't ask questions!" Toph sighed drastically. Her hands waved about her frantically, as if trying to explain. "I know that you think I'm crazy, Sokka. You probably have the right to think that—you really do." She had turned away from him. Having her vision returned to her, now, at least, was difficult, because she never fully learned to look people in the eyes while talking to them. After all, Katara had called it a bad habit before—"an unladylike gesture," were her exact words. Toph felt the heat of Sokka's eyes on the back of her head.

"But I'm not really _that_ crazy, am I?" she continued. "I mean, if this was Katara, she would have waited for _you_ to say something like this—I mean, not _you_—you're her brother—but, well—you know what I mean." Frustration and embarrassment fell into Toph's heart like ice water. "I...I probably shouldn't have said anything."

The confusion that Sokka first felt had somewhat dusted away. Poppy's words fell like feathers on the back of his mind. He couldn't believe it! Toph was admitting to him that she liked him. It was more than he could bear.

He grabbed Toph's shoulders gently in an effort to turn her around.

"I really like you too," he said, and suddenly they both felt like children again. Sokka realized with a keen interest that Toph's face was about three different shades of red.

"Don't listen to my mother anymore," Toph stated, as if to settle the matter. "She's nuts. And creepy."

Sokka paused briefly. "Well—if it makes you feel any better…you look great, Toph. So I guess she knows something about…something." She smiled sweetly—shyly—at this. "And actually…" he turned around and fished out the box he had wanted to give her. "I think I can give you this now."

"What is it?" she inquired, before realizing what a silly thing it was to ask.

He handed it gently to her. Toph brushed the blue ribbon away and tore the paper quietly. Although her slow movements didn't show it, she was excited and nervous that Sokka would bring her a gift—especially at a time like this. With his sister and Aang missing, she would have guessed that he would be doing something a little more productive with his time.

The box was actually part of the gift: a little, shiny black jewelry box. Toph recognized the material immediately.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, inspecting the object. "This is made from space earth! That's so…cool!" Toph opened the box to find a mirror in the top. She had never liked mirrors. Ever since her vision had been returned to her she associated the reflective glass with uncertainty. Looking at herself reminded her of something Katara would do. It was, in Toph's opinion, pure vanity.

But her green eyes sparkled back at her when she found that Sokka had also taken the liberty of placing a necklace inside.

The chain was dark leather that looked—and felt—very soft. The pendant was a hunk of green jade that Sokka had carved with the characters, "Good Heart." Toph was amazed. She looked at him.

"When Katara healed your eyes I decided to make you a 'get well soon' gift," the boy explained shortly. "The box is actually that hunk of space earth you had before—the one I gave you before we finished off the Fire Lord. I found it in your stuff."

Suddenly Toph's flattery was shattered. Her mouth hung open. "_What_?!"

Sokka looked oblivious. "…What?"

Toph had placed the box and its contents down. "You just said 'when Katara healed your eyes.' What do you mean? Those old ladies did!"

"Oh—oh that!" The warrior silently cursed his luck. "I meant, when Katara had…went in there with you to—I mean when you got your eyes—I mean when you…when I…"

Shock prevented Toph's mouth from closing. She looked at Sokka strangely, letting the truth of the situation settle. So it was Katara all along who had healed her! This made so much sense that Toph couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

"You're saying Katara healed me? It was her all along?" Toph stated, catching her breath. "I…I can't believe it."

Sokka regretted spilling the secret, but it no longer mattered. To him, he had always felt like Toph knew anyway. "She felt really guilty after the whole thing," he mused now, remembering. "She didn't want you to know."

Toph looked at the box and necklace regretfully. It was a beautiful, wondrous gesture on Sokka's part, but she knew they couldn't stay here. "We need to find her," Toph said defiantly, standing up and pushing the box into her kimono. "Katara and Aang are our family. I can't believe we just…left them."

"I think they've run away together." Sokka had wanted to stay here. The feast they had been promised, as well as the alone time he now had with Toph, were some definite perks. She hadn't even had time to react to his gift, something he had truly spent time on.

"They haven't!" she insisted, grabbing his hand. "And you're being selfish!"

"What? No I'm not!"

"I like spending time with you too," the girl stated bluntly. "And having Katara and Twinkle Toes out of our way is nice, but I just know something's wrong here. We have to find them, no matter how annoying they are."

Sokka grunted in a sour agreement.

"Thank you, though," the earthbender finished. "I wish I had something to give you, Sokka." He didn't have to say anything. Toph placed a timid kiss on the warrior's cheek.

And the left the feast and palace with the minimal items they had brought without letting Toph's parents know. They had missing friends to find, and it was that simple.

* * *

"So she just wants us to just let her go now?" Mai asked for the third time that day.

"I guess so," Zuko murmured flatly. This wasn't part of the original plan, and both of them knew it.

"She's too distressed to leave. Her lover just died," Mai said, immediately regretting showing sympathy.

"They were never lovers," the firebender spat harshly. "The Avatar was a monk. He and the peasant were friends, and nothing else."

For a moment both of them were silent, wondering why they were complaining over someone who was already dead.

"Azula would never let anyone go," Zuko thought aloud.

"I know. Maybe she's just taking a different course."

Zuko coughed hoarsely. "Did you give the peasant water?"

"Yes." Mai paused, making a face. "I gave her tea, and undid the chains. But she threw up."

"Before drinking it, or after?"

"Before she touched anything," Mai finished, remembering the ordeal. "She just…got this look on her face and everything just sort of…came out."

"Thank you for being so detailed," the firebender stated, grimacing.

"Zuko," his girlfriend began, thinking of Azula's letters. "I'm almost sure that something's happened."

"Something _has_ happened," the boy muttered. "The Avatar was just killed a day ago. Don't you think that counts for something?" His fists tightened.

Mai stood up fiercely. "What's your problem?" she shrieked awkwardly. "You're acting like a jerk!"

Zuko glared at her quietly. In the silence that followed, they could hear their prisoner in the lower chambers sobbing and chattering amongst herself. _She's gone mad,_ Zuko thought. And yet he couldn't help but feel that he was to blame for a sadness as immense and overtaking as this.

Mai watched him, her mouth a thin line. She stood up slowly, her stomach slightly bulging from underneath her clothes, before walking down the stairs to the loud cellar below.


End file.
